Patent ID: 8646833
Filing Date: 2014-02-11
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
1. A vehicle body structure comprising: left and right side sills disposed on left and right sides of a vehicle body and extending longitudinally of the vehicle body; a floor panel spanning between the left and right side sills; left and right front pillars extending upward from front ends of the left and right side sills; and left and right center pillars extending upward from intermediate parts of lengths of the left and right side sills, wherein each of the left and right side sills is comprised of a hollow member and has the front end formed into a closed cross section and a substantially inverted-L shape, the front ends of the left and right side sills being parts of the left and right side sills which bear a load exerted from vehicle front wheels during a front-surface collision, each of the inverted-L shapes is defined by an upright side part positioned on a vehicle widthwise center side and extending vertically, and a lateral side part extending horizontally outwardly in a vehicle widthwise direction from a top end of the upright side part, the intermediate parts of the lengths of the left and right side sills have a closed cross section and a substantially pentagonal shape, each of the left and right side sills has a rear end formed into a closed cross section and a substantially square shape, the rear ends of the left and right side sills being connected together by a floor rear cross member extending in the vehicle widthwise direction, a distance from the left and right center pillars to the rear ends of the left and right side sills is smaller than a distance from the left and right center pillars to the front ends of the left and right side sills, and an intermediate portion is disposed between the front end and the rear end of each of the left and right side sills near said intermediate part of each of said left and right side sills from which said left and right center pillars upwardly extend, said intermediate portion being formed into a closed cross section which smoothly varies from the inverted-L shaped cross section to the square-shaped cross section.