JP7839482B2 - Rear body structure - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a rear structure for a vehicle body.

Generally, a rear structure of a vehicle, such as an automobile, is known to include a back door opening that can be opened and closed. Conventional back door openings have a design where a roof back cross member, located on the upper side of the vehicle and extending in the vehicle width direction, a floor back cross member, located on the lower side of the vehicle and extending in the vehicle width direction, and back side pillars, located on both the left and right sides and extending in the vehicle vertical direction, are interconnected to form an annular structure (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-240515

In conventional rear vehicle structures with a ring-shaped back door opening as described above, the rigidity of the back door opening was enhanced by the closed cross-sectional structure of the roof back cross member on the upper side of the vehicle and the floor back cross member on the lower side of the vehicle, which are formed with a substantially rectangular cross-section extending in the vehicle width direction. On the other hand, for the back side pillars on both the left and right sides, it was sometimes difficult to form a closed cross-sectional structure with a substantially rectangular cross-section like the roof back cross member and floor back cross member due to the panel structure of the rear side of the vehicle body and manufacturing reasons (see, for example, Figure 8 of Patent Document 1 mentioned above).

In this case, the rigidity of the backside pillar at the back door opening becomes lower than that of the roof back cross member and floor back cross member, resulting in a larger deformation of the backside pillar. Since the rigidity of the back door opening affects the rigidity of the rear of the vehicle, there was a challenge in improving the overall torsional rigidity of the vehicle.

Furthermore, adding reinforcing members to the rear pillars or increasing the thickness of the structural components of the rear pillars to suppress deformation could potentially increase vehicle weight and manufacturing costs.

This invention was made in view of the above-mentioned points, and aims to provide a rear body structure that can reduce deformation of the back door opening and improve the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body while suppressing increases in vehicle weight and manufacturing costs.

To achieve the above objective, one aspect of the present invention provides a rear vehicle structure comprising a back door opening provided at the rear of the vehicle body, wherein an annular structure is formed in the back door opening by connecting a roof back cross member located on the upper side of the vehicle and extending in the vehicle width direction, a floor back cross member located on the lower side of the vehicle and extending in the vehicle width direction, and back side pillars located on both the left and right sides and extending in the vehicle vertical direction, wherein the back side pillar has an outer panel portion extending in the vehicle vertical direction and an inner panel portion located on the vehicle side of the outer panel portion and extending in the vehicle vertical direction, and the end portion of the outer panel portion along the vehicle vertical direction is joined to the end portion of the inner panel portion along the vehicle vertical direction . The upper part of the vehicle body is provided with a roof panel section that extends in the vehicle's longitudinal and vehicle width directions, and the side parts of the vehicle body are provided with side body panel sections that are joined to both ends of the roof panel section in the vehicle width direction and extend in the vehicle's longitudinal and vehicle vertical directions. The side body panel section has a side body outer panel and a side body inner panel that is positioned on the vehicle side of the side body outer panel. The first inner panel member is composed of a pillar inner upper panel and a pillar inner lower panel, and the second inner panel member is composed of the rear part of the side body inner panel. The back side pillar has an extension that extends outward from the joining point of the first and second inner panel members and is joined to the vehicle side surface of the outer panel section. The extension is made of one of the first and second inner panel members, and the outer panel section and the inner panel section including the extension form a closed cross-sectional structure that extends in the vehicle's vertical direction.

According to the vehicle body rear structure of the present invention, it is possible to reduce deformation of the back door opening and improve the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body while suppressing increases in vehicle weight and manufacturing costs.

This is a perspective view of a vehicle body to which the rear body structure according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied, viewed from a diagonal rearward angle. This is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle from the front, with the rear of the vehicle body cut along line A-A in Figure 1. This is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing section X in Figure 2. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the vehicle from the front at an oblique angle. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 3. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in Figure 3. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D in Figure 3. This is a cross-sectional view of the backside pillar in a first modified example related to the above embodiment. This is a cross-sectional view of the backside pillar in a second modified example related to the above embodiment. This is a cross-sectional view of the backside pillar in a third modified example related to the above embodiment.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle body to which the rear body structure according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied, viewed from the rear at an oblique angle. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the rear of the vehicle body in Figure 1, cut along the line A-A, viewed from the front of the vehicle. In the figures described below, the direction of arrow Fr indicates the front in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, the direction of arrow U indicates the upward direction in the vehicle's vertical direction, and the direction of arrow R indicates the right in the vehicle's width direction. In addition, "left and right" in the description of the embodiments corresponds to left and right when viewed from inside the vehicle's interior towards the front of the vehicle.

In Figures 1 and 2, a vehicle to which the rear body structure of this embodiment is applied is equipped with a back door opening 1 located at the rear of the vehicle body. The back door opening 1 is covered by a back door (not shown) that can be opened and closed. The upper part of the vehicle body is provided with a roof panel section 2 that extends in the longitudinal and width directions of the vehicle. A roof back cross member 11 is positioned at the rear end of the roof panel section 2. The roof back cross member 11 is located above the back door opening 1 and extends in the width direction of the vehicle. Although not shown, the roof back cross member 11 has a roughly rectangular cross-section and a closed cross-sectional structure extending in the width direction of the vehicle. The left and right side body panel sections 3, which constitute the side of the vehicle body, are joined to both ends of the roof panel section 2 in the width direction of the vehicle. The side body panel sections 3 extend in the longitudinal and vertical directions of the vehicle, and their upper ends curve inward in the width direction to connect to the roof panel section 2.

As shown in Figure 2, the side body panel section 3 comprises a side body outer panel 31 and a side body inner panel 32 positioned on the vehicle side of the side body outer panel 31. A roof side rail 4 extending in the vehicle's longitudinal direction is provided on the inner side of the upper end of the side body outer panel 31. A quarter window opening 33 for installing quarter window glass is formed on the upper rear side of the side body outer panel 31 (Figures 1 and 2). A reinforcing member 34 extending in the vehicle's longitudinal direction is joined to the lower vehicle side portion of the quarter window opening 33 on the vehicle's inner side of the side body outer panel 31 (Figure 2). The reinforcing member 34 has a hat-shaped cross-section that is convex inward in the vehicle width direction. The rear end of the reinforcing member 34 is joined to the back side pillar 13, which will be described later.

Furthermore, a fuel filler opening 35 is formed below the quarter window opening 33 on the left side body outer panel 31. Below the fuel filler opening 35, a recessed portion 36 is formed, recessed inward in the vehicle width direction. This recessed portion 36 is similarly formed on the right side body outer panel 31. A slide rail 5 extending in the vehicle's longitudinal direction is attached to the outer surface of the recessed portion 36. The slide rail 5 is configured to guide the sliding movement of the rear door (not shown).

Furthermore, the lower ends of the rear portions of the left and right side body outer panels 31 are joined to the rear floor panel section 7, which extends in the vehicle's longitudinal and width directions, via the left and right rear tire house panels 6. The rear tire house panels 6 define the space for housing the rear tires. The lower ends of the left and right rear tire house panels 6 on the inside in the vehicle width direction, and the vehicle width direction portions of the rear floor panel section 7, are joined to the left and right side members 8, which extend in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (Figure 2). The central portion of the rear floor panel section 7 in the vehicle width direction is recessed outwards (downwards), allowing for the storage of a spare tire, etc. A floor back cross member 12 is positioned at the rear end of the rear floor panel section 7. The floor back cross member 12 is located below the vehicle at the back door opening 1 and extends in the vehicle width direction. Although not shown in the figure, the floor back cross member 12 has a roughly rectangular cross-section and a closed cross-sectional structure extending in the vehicle width direction.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the left and right rear side pillars 13 are positioned at the rear ends of the left and right side body panels 3. The rear side pillars 13 are located on both the left and right sides of the back door opening 1 and have a closed cross-sectional structure that extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle, as will be explained in detail later.

In the rear body structure of this embodiment, the back door opening 1 forms an annular structure by connecting the roof back cross member 11 on the upper side of the vehicle, the floor back cross member 12 on the lower side of the vehicle, and the back side pillars 13 on both the left and right sides. This annular structure has an annular ridge formed by the inner edge of the back door opening 1, and a closed cross section is continuous along this ridge. Below, the detailed structure of the back door opening 1 will be described in detail, focusing on the back side pillars 13 with specific examples. Note that here, the structure of the right back side pillar 13 will be described, and the structure of the left back side pillar 13, which is similar, will not be described.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing section X of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a perspective view of Figure 3 from the front of the vehicle at an oblique angle. However, Figures 3 and 4 show the vehicle with the side body inner panel 32 and rear wheel arch panel 6 removed. The dashed lines in Figure 3 indicate the approximate positions of the side body inner panel 32 and rear wheel arch panel 6. Furthermore, Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view along line B-B in Figure 3, Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along line C-C in Figure 3, and Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view along line D-D in Figure 3.

As shown in Figures 3 to 7, the right-side back pillar 13 in the back door opening 1 has an outer panel portion 13A extending in the vehicle's vertical direction and an inner panel portion 13B positioned inside the outer panel portion 13A and also extending in the vehicle's vertical direction. The end portion of the outer panel portion 13A along the vehicle's vertical direction is joined to the end portion of the inner panel portion 13B along the vehicle's vertical direction.

In the backside pillar 13 according to this embodiment, the outer panel portion 13A comprises the rear portion of the aforementioned side body outer panel 31 and the pillar outer upper panel 41 (Figures 6 and 7) and pillar outer lower panel 43 (Figure 5), which extend in the vehicle's vertical direction. The rear portion of the side body outer panel 31 mainly forms the outer surface of the backside pillar 13 in the vehicle width direction. The pillar outer upper panel 41 and pillar outer lower panel 43 form the rear surface of the backside pillar 13.

Furthermore, the inner panel portion 13B includes the rear portion of the aforementioned side body inner panel 32, and the pillar inner upper panel 42 (Figures 3, 4, 6, and 7) and pillar inner lower panel 44 (Figures 3 to 5) extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The rear portion of the side body inner panel 32, the pillar inner upper panel 42, and the pillar inner lower panel 44 form the inner surface of the back side pillar 13 in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the pillar inner upper panel 42 and the pillar inner lower panel 44 correspond to the "first inner panel member" of the present invention, and the side body inner panel 32 corresponds to the "second inner panel member" of the present invention.

Specifically, the rear end portion 31A of the side body outer panel 31 has a shape that is bent inward in the vehicle width direction, as shown in Figures 5 to 7. The inner end portion 31B of the side body outer panel 31 in the vehicle width direction is joined to the outer end portion 41A of the pillar outer upper panel 41 in the vehicle width direction (Figures 6 and 7), and the outer end portion 43A of the pillar outer lower panel 43 in the vehicle width direction (Figure 5). The lower end portion of the pillar outer lower panel 43 is joined to the lower end portion of the pillar outer upper panel 41. The joining of each panel forming the outer panel portion 13A of the back side pillar 13 can be done using spot welding or an adhesive such as mastic sealer.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, a flange portion 41B protruding toward the rear of the vehicle is formed at the inner end of the pillar outer upper panel 41 in the vehicle width direction, and this flange portion 41B is joined to the rear end portion 42A of the pillar inner upper panel 42. The pillar inner upper panel 42 extends toward the front of the vehicle from the joining point J1 with the flange portion 41B of the pillar outer upper panel 41, then bends outward in the vehicle width direction, and extends outward from this bent portion 42B in the vehicle width direction. A flange portion 42C protruding toward the front of the vehicle is formed at the outer end of the pillar inner upper panel 42 in the vehicle width direction, and this flange portion 42C is joined to the upper portion of the surface 31C of the side body outer panel 31 that faces inward in the vehicle width direction. The joining of the flange portion 42C of the pillar inner upper panel 42 and the side body outer panel 31 is preferably performed using an adhesive A such as mastic sealer.

As shown in Figure 5, a flange portion 43B protruding toward the rear of the vehicle is formed at the inner end of the pillar outer lower panel 43 in the vehicle width direction, and this flange portion 43B is joined to the rear end portion 44A of the pillar inner lower panel 44. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the pillar inner lower panel 44 extends toward the front of the vehicle from the joining point J1 with the flange portion 43B of the pillar outer lower panel 43, then bends outward in the vehicle width direction, and extends outward from this bent portion 44B in the vehicle width direction. A flange portion 44C protruding toward the front of the vehicle is formed at the outer end of the pillar inner lower panel 44 in the vehicle width direction, and this flange portion 44C is joined to the lower portion of the side body outer panel 31C facing inward in the vehicle width direction. The joining of the flange portion 44C of the pillar inner lower panel 44 and the side body outer panel 31 is preferably performed using an adhesive A such as mastic sealer.

As shown in Figures 3, 5, and 6, a side body inner panel 32 is joined to the intermediate portion in the vehicle width direction of each of the pillar inner upper panel 42 and pillar inner lower panel 44. A flange portion 32A protruding inward in the vehicle width direction is formed at the rear end of the side body inner panel 32, and this flange portion 32A is joined to the front-facing surfaces of each of the pillar inner upper panel 42 and pillar inner lower panel 44 by spot welding or adhesive.

In this embodiment, for each of the pillar inner upper panel 42 and the pillar inner lower panel 44, the portion located between the joining point J2 with the flange portion 32A of the side body inner panel 32 and the respective flange portions 42C and 44C that are joined to the surface 31C of the side body outer panel 31 facing inward in the vehicle width direction corresponds to the "extension portion" of the present invention. In the following description, this portion in the pillar inner upper panel 42 and the pillar inner lower panel 44 will be referred to as the "extension portion 50".

In other words, the backside pillar 13 in this embodiment has an extension portion 50 that extends outward in the vehicle width direction (outside the vehicle) from the joint J2 between the pillar inner upper panel 42 and the pillar inner lower panel 44 (first inner panel member) and the side body inner panel 32 (second inner panel member), and is joined to the surface 31C (vehicle inner surface of the outer panel portion 13A) of the side body outer panel 31 that faces inward in the vehicle width direction. This extension portion 50 is composed of the pillar inner upper panel 42 and the pillar inner lower panel 44 (first inner panel member).

In the backside pillar 13 of this embodiment as described above, a closed cross-sectional structure C1 extending in the vehicle's vertical direction is formed by the rear portion of the side body outer panel 31, the pillar outer upper panel 41, and the pillar outer lower panel 43, which constitute the outer panel portion 13A, and the pillar inner upper panel 42 and pillar inner lower panel 44, which include the extension portion 50. In other words, in this embodiment, a substantially rectangular closed cross-sectional structure C1 is formed in the upper portion of the backside pillar 13 by the rear portion of the side body outer panel 31, the pillar outer upper panel 41, and the pillar inner upper panel 42, and a substantially rectangular closed cross-sectional structure C1 is formed in the lower portion of the backside pillar 13 by the rear portion of the side body outer panel 31, the pillar outer lower panel 43, and the pillar inner lower panel 44, with the upper and lower closed cross-sectional structures C1 being continuous in the vehicle's vertical direction.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, the corner portion 14 located on the lower side of the vehicle at the back door opening 1 is formed in an arc shape when viewed from the front of the vehicle. Specifically, the side wall surface (the inner surface in the vehicle width direction of the lower portion of the back side pillar 13) between the rear end portion 44A and the bent portion 44B of the aforementioned pillar inner lower panel 44 is formed in a shape that curves inward in the vehicle width direction as it extends downward towards the vehicle. The concave portion 36 of the aforementioned side body outer panel 31 is positioned at a height corresponding to the upper end portion 14A of the arc in the corner portion 14 in the vehicle's vertical direction.

The extension 50 of the aforementioned backside pillar 13 is joined to the side body outer panel 31 facing inward in the vehicle width direction, in the vertical direction of the vehicle, over a range extending from at least the upper end 14A of the lower corner portion 14 of the back door opening 1 to the reinforcing member 34 below the quarter window opening 33. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the outer ends (outer end portions of the extension 50) of the pillar inner upper panel 42 and pillar inner lower panel 44, respectively, in the vehicle width direction, are joined to the side body outer panel 31 facing inward in the vehicle width direction, over the entire length of the backside pillar 13. In this case, it is desirable that the lower outer portion 44D of the pillar inner lower panel 44 in the vehicle width direction be joined to the concave portion 36 of the side body outer panel 31, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

In addition, the pillar inner lower panel 44 has a convex portion 44E that protrudes toward the front of the vehicle at the lower side of the vehicle where it joins with the concave portion 36 of the side body outer panel 31. This convex portion 44E is positioned to be in contact with the concave portion 36 of the side body outer panel 31. When viewed from the front of the vehicle, the convex portion 44E of the pillar inner lower panel 44 preferably has a corner portion 44F that protrudes inward in the vehicle width direction, and is formed to expand vertically as it moves outward from the corner portion 44F in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the tip portion of the convex portion 44E of the pillar inner lower panel 44 that extends upward relative to the corner portion 44F is positioned to be in contact with the downward sloping portion of the inner surface of the vehicle in the concave portion 36 of the side body outer panel 31. In other words, the convex portion 44E of the pillar inner lower panel 44 is formed in a roughly triangular shape when viewed from the front of the vehicle. The upper end of the side extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle, opposite the corner portion 44F located on the inside in the vehicle width direction, is configured to abut from below the vehicle side of the concave portion 36 of the side body outer panel 31.

Next, the operation of the rear body structure according to this embodiment will be described.
In the rear body structure according to this embodiment, the left and right backside pillars 13 of the back door opening 1 are provided with an outer panel portion 13A and an inner panel portion 13B, and the inner panel portion 13B has a first inner panel member (pillar inner upper panel 42 and pillar inner lower panel 44) and a second inner panel member (side body inner panel 32). Furthermore, the backside pillar 13 has an extension portion 50 that extends outward from the joining point J2 of the first and second inner panel members and is joined to the inner surface of the outer panel portion 13A, and this extension portion 50 is made from one of the first and second inner panel members. In such a backside pillar 13, the outer panel portion 13A and the inner panel portion 13B including the extension portion 50 form a closed cross-sectional structure C1 that extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

The closed-section structure C1 of the backside pillar 13, as described above, prevents each panel member constituting the backside pillar 13 from deforming in both the inward and outward directions of the vehicle when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle. Therefore, bending deformation of the backside pillar 13 can be reduced. As a result, the annular structure of the back door opening 1, including the roof back cross member 11 on the upper side of the vehicle, the floor back cross member 12 on the lower side of the vehicle, and the backside pillars 13 on both the left and right sides, each has a closed-section structure, thus reducing deformation at the back door opening 1. Furthermore, since the extension portion 50 of the backside pillar 13 is composed of one of the first and second inner panel members, the increase in vehicle weight compared to the conventional structure described above is minimal, and the manufacturing cost remains almost unchanged. Therefore, it is possible to reduce deformation of the back door opening and improve the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body while suppressing increases in vehicle weight and manufacturing costs.

Furthermore, in the rear body structure according to this embodiment, the extension portion 50 of the backside pillar 13 extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the joint J2 of the first and second inner panel members and is joined to the surface 31C of the outer panel portion 13A (side body outer panel 31) that faces inward in the vehicle width direction. In such a backside pillar 13, the extension portion 50 becomes a vertical wall portion oriented in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. This allows for resistance to torsional deformation around the vehicle's longitudinal axis due to the shear direction of the vertical wall portion's cross-section. In other words, the amount of deflection of each panel constituting the side portion is reduced during torsional deformation of the backside pillar 13. Therefore, bending deformation of the backside pillar 13 can be effectively reduced, and the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body can be further improved.

Furthermore, in the rear body structure according to this embodiment, the extension portion 50 of the backside pillar 13 is joined to the surface 31C of the outer panel portion 13A (side body outer panel 31) facing in the vehicle width direction, in the vertical direction of the vehicle, from at least the upper end of the arc-shaped corner portion 14 below the back door opening 1 to the reinforcing member 34 located in the lower part of the quarter window opening 33. The side body outer panel 31 below the quarter window opening 33 has many flat surfaces and is a relatively weak area against torsional deformation. By joining the extension portion 50 to this area and providing a vertical wall, torsional deformation of the backside pillar 13 can be suppressed more effectively. In particular, if the extension portion 50 and the side body outer panel 31 are joined over the entire vertical length of the backside pillar 13, the annular structure of the back door opening 1 becomes a structure in which the closed cross section is continuous along the annular ridge, thereby effectively reducing deformation of the back door opening 1. This makes it possible to further improve the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body.

In addition, in the rear body structure according to this embodiment, the lower outer portion 44D of the extension 50 of the backside pillar 13 (the lower outer portion 44D of the pillar inner lower panel 44) is joined to the concave portion 36 of the outer panel 13A (side body outer panel 31). When a concave portion 36 is formed in the side body outer panel 31 to accommodate the slide rail 5, the side body outer panel 31 and the backside pillar 13 become more susceptible to deformation starting from the concave portion 36. Therefore, by joining the extension 50 to the concave portion 36 of the side body outer panel 31, deformation of the backside pillar 13 can be suppressed even more effectively.

Furthermore, in the rear body structure according to this embodiment, the extension portion 50 (pillar inner lower panel 44) of the back side pillar 13 has a convex portion 44E projecting forward towards the vehicle, located on the lower side of the vehicle at the joint with the concave portion 36 of the side body outer panel 31. This convex portion 44E is positioned so as to be in contact with the concave portion 36 of the side body outer panel 31. This convex portion 44E has a corner portion 44F that protrudes inward in the vehicle width direction when viewed from the front of the vehicle, and is formed to expand vertically as it moves outward from the corner portion 44F in the vehicle width direction. By providing such a convex portion 44E on the extension portion 50, the surface rigidity of the extension portion 50 is increased, making it possible to more effectively suppress torsional deformation of the back side pillar 13.

Next, a modified example related to the rear body structure according to this embodiment will be described.
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the backside pillar 13 in the first modified example. This cross-sectional view shows the backside pillar 13 of the first modified example cut along the line B-B in Figure 3 of the embodiment described above.

In the embodiment described above, an example was shown in which the extension portion 50 of the backside pillar 13 is composed of the first inner panel member (pillar inner upper panel 42 and pillar inner lower panel 44) of the first and second inner panel members. In contrast, the backside pillar 13 in the first modified example differs from the embodiment described above in that, as shown in Figure 8, the extension portion 51 is composed of the second inner panel member (side body inner panel 32) of the first and second inner panel members. The structure of the first modified example other than this difference is the same as in the embodiment described above, so the same reference numerals are used for corresponding parts and their explanation is omitted here.

Specifically, in the first modified example, the rear end of the side body inner panel 32 is bent outward in the vehicle width direction, and extends outward from this bent portion 32B in the vehicle width direction. A flange portion 32C protruding toward the front of the vehicle is formed at the outer end of the side body inner panel 32 in the vehicle width direction, and this flange portion 32C is joined to the surface 31C of the side body outer panel 31 that faces inward in the vehicle width direction. The joining of the flange portion 32C of the side body inner panel 32 to the side body outer panel 31 is preferably performed using an adhesive A such as a mastic sealer.

Furthermore, the pillar inner lower panel 44 (and pillar inner upper panel 42) is joined to the inner side in the vehicle width direction at the bent portion 32B of the side body inner panel 32. Similar to the embodiment described above, the pillar inner lower panel 44 extends toward the front of the vehicle from the joining point J1 with the flange portion 43B of the pillar outer lower panel 43, then bends outward in the vehicle width direction, and extends from this bent portion 44B toward the bent portion 32B of the side body inner panel 32. A flange portion 44G protruding toward the front of the vehicle is formed at the outer end of the pillar inner lower panel 44 in the vehicle width direction, and this flange portion 44G is joined to the side body inner panel 32 by spot welding or the like. Although not shown in the illustration, the pillar inner upper panel 42 is formed in a similar shape to the pillar inner lower panel 44.

In the first modified example described above, the portion of the side body inner panel 32 located between the joint J2 with the pillar inner lower panel 44 (and pillar inner upper panel 42) and the flange portion 32C joined to the surface 31C of the side body outer panel 31 facing inward in the vehicle width direction corresponds to the extension portion 51. Therefore, in the back side pillar 13 of the first modified example, a closed cross-sectional structure C1 extending in the vehicle vertical direction is formed by the rear portion of the side body outer panel 31, the pillar outer upper panel 41 and pillar outer lower panel 43, the pillar inner upper panel 42 and pillar inner lower panel 44, and the extension portion 51 of the side body inner panel 32. The same effects and advantages as those of the above-described embodiment can be obtained with this back side pillar 13 of the first modified example.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the backside pillar 13 in the second modified example. This cross-sectional view, like the first modified example, shows the backside pillar 13 of the second modified example cut along the line B-B in Figure 3.

In the first modification described above, the extension portion 51, consisting of the side body inner panel 32, extends outward in the vehicle width direction and is joined to the side body outer panel 31 facing inward in the vehicle width direction (surface 31C). In contrast, in the second modification, as shown in Figure 9, the extension portion 52, consisting of the side body inner panel 32, extends towards the rear of the vehicle. The flange portion 32D formed at the rear end of the side body inner panel 32 is joined to the pillar outer lower panel 43 (and pillar outer upper panel 41) facing the vehicle front side (surface 43C) by spot welding or adhesive.

In this second modified example, the backside pillar 13 is formed by the pillar outer upper panel 41 and pillar outer lower panel 43, the pillar inner upper panel 42 and pillar inner lower panel 44, and the extended portion 52 of the side body inner panel 32, creating a closed cross-sectional structure C2 that extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle. This closed cross-sectional structure C2 effectively reduces the amount of deflection of each panel constituting the front and rear portions during torsional deformation of the backside pillar 13.

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the backside pillar 13 in the third modified example. This cross-sectional view, like the first and second modified examples, shows the backside pillar 13 of the third modified example cut along the line B-B in Figure 3.

In the second modification described above, the extension portion 52 extending toward the rear of the vehicle was composed of the side body inner panel 32. In contrast, in the third modification, as shown in Figure 10, the extension portion 53 extending toward the rear of the vehicle is composed of the pillar inner lower panel 44 (and pillar inner upper panel 42).

Specifically, in the third modified example, the pillar inner lower panel 44 (and pillar inner upper panel 42) bends towards the rear of the vehicle at the joint J2 with the side body inner panel 32, and extends from this bent portion 44H toward the rear of the vehicle to the pillar outer lower panel 43 (pillar outer upper panel 41). A flange portion 44I is formed at the rear end of the pillar inner lower panel 44 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and this flange portion 44I is joined to the surface 43C of the pillar outer lower panel 43 facing the vehicle front by spot welding or adhesive.

In this third modified example, the backside pillar 13 is formed by the pillar outer upper panel 41 and pillar outer lower panel 43, and the pillar inner upper panel 42 and pillar inner lower panel 44, creating a closed cross-sectional structure C2 that extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle. This closed cross-sectional structure C2 in the third modified example also provides the same effects and advantages as in the second modified example.

The embodiments and related modifications of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described herein, and various modifications and changes are possible based on the technical concept of the present invention. For example, in the embodiments and modifications described above, an example was described in which a quarter window opening 33 and a recessed portion 36 for a slide rail are formed at the rear of the side body outer panel 31. However, other recessed or uneven shapes corresponding to character lines, etc., may also be formed at the rear of the side body outer panel 31.

1...Back door opening 2...Roof panel section 3...Side body panel section 4...Roof side rail 5...Slide rail 6...Rear tire house panel 7...Rear floor panel section 8...Side member 11...Roof back cross member 12...Floor back cross member 13...Back side pillar 13A...Outer panel section 13B...Inner panel section 14...Corner section 31...Side body outer panel 32...Side body inner panel 33...Quarter window opening 34...Reinforcement member 35...Fuel filler section 36...Concave section 41...Pillar outer upper panel 42...Pillar inner upper panel 43...Pillar outer lower panel 44...Pillar inner lower panel 44E...Convex section 44F...Corner section 50-53...Extension section A...Adhesive C1, C3...Closed cross section structure J1, J2...Joint location

Claims (4)

The vehicle is equipped with a back door opening at the rear of the vehicle body, and a ring structure is formed in the back door opening by connecting a roof back cross member located on the upper side of the vehicle and extending in the width direction, a floor back cross member located on the lower side of the vehicle and extending in the width direction, and back side pillars located on both the left and right sides and extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle.
In a rear vehicle structure, the aforementioned backside pillar has an outer panel portion extending in the vehicle's vertical direction and an inner panel portion positioned on the vehicle's side of the outer panel portion and extending in the vehicle's vertical direction, and the end portion of the outer panel portion along the vehicle's vertical direction is joined to the end portion of the inner panel portion along the vehicle's vertical direction.
The inner panel portion includes a first inner panel member extending inward from the end portion of the outer panel portion toward the vehicle side, and a second inner panel member joined to the first inner panel member and positioned at a distance toward the vehicle side relative to the outer panel portion.
The upper part of the vehicle body is provided with a roof panel section that extends in the vehicle's longitudinal and width directions, and the sides of the vehicle body are provided with side body panel sections that are joined to both ends of the roof panel section in the vehicle's width direction and extend in the vehicle's longitudinal and vertical directions, and the side body panel section has a side body outer panel and a side body inner panel that is positioned on the inside of the side body outer panel.
The first inner panel member consists of a pillar inner upper panel and a pillar inner lower panel.
The second inner panel member is located at the rear of the side body inner panel.
The rear body structure is characterized in that the backside pillar has an extension that extends outward from the joint of the first and second inner panel members and is joined to the inner surface of the outer panel, the extension is made of one of the first and second inner panel members, and the outer panel and the inner panel including the extension form a closed cross-sectional structure that extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The vehicle is equipped with a back door opening at the rear of the vehicle body, and a ring structure is formed in the back door opening by connecting a roof back cross member located on the upper side of the vehicle and extending in the width direction, a floor back cross member located on the lower side of the vehicle and extending in the width direction, and back side pillars located on both the left and right sides and extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle.
In a rear vehicle structure, the aforementioned backside pillar has an outer panel portion extending in the vehicle's vertical direction and an inner panel portion positioned on the vehicle's side of the outer panel portion and extending in the vehicle's vertical direction, and the end portion of the outer panel portion along the vehicle's vertical direction is joined to the end portion of the inner panel portion along the vehicle's vertical direction.
The inner panel portion includes a first inner panel member extending inward from the end portion of the outer panel portion toward the vehicle side, and a second inner panel member joined to the first inner panel member and positioned at a distance toward the vehicle side relative to the outer panel portion.
The backside pillar has an extension that extends outward from the joint of the first and second inner panel members and is joined to the inner surface of the outer panel, the extension being made of one of the first and second inner panel members, and the outer panel and the inner panel including the extension form a closed cross-sectional structure that extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle.
The extension extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the joint of the first and second inner panel members and is joined to the surface of the outer panel portion facing inward in the vehicle width direction.
The corner portion located on the lower side of the vehicle's rear door opening is formed in an arc shape when viewed from the front of the vehicle.
The rear end of a reinforcing member, which is located on the lower part of the vehicle's quarter window opening on the rear side of the vehicle body and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, is joined to the aforementioned backside pillar.
The rear body structure of a vehicle body is characterized in that the extension portion is joined to the surface of the outer panel portion facing in the vehicle width direction, in the vertical direction of the vehicle , for a range extending at least from the upper end of the arc at the corner portion of the back door opening to the reinforcing member. The outer panel portion has a concave shape that is recessed inward in the vehicle width direction at a height corresponding to the upper end of the arc at the corner portion of the back door opening in the vehicle's vertical direction.
The rear body structure according to claim 2 , characterized in that the lower portion of the extension on the outer side in the vehicle width direction is joined to the concave portion of the outer panel. The extension portion has a convex portion that protrudes toward the front of the vehicle, located on the vehicle-downward side of the joint with the concave portion of the outer panel, and is arranged so that the convex portion and the concave portion of the outer panel are in contact.
The rear body structure of the vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that the convex portion has a corner that protrudes inward in the vehicle width direction when viewed from the front of the vehicle, and is formed to expand vertically as it moves outward from the corner in the vehicle width direction.