Vehicle body structure for a passenger car equipped with a fastback

A vehicle body structure for a passenger car equipped with a fastback has oppositely arranged lateral roof frames, rearward side parts and rearward spring strut receiving devices. The oppositely arranged lateral roof frames are each constructed as a hollow support and are being mutually locally connected by transversely extending members. In order to reduce the roof intrusion of the vehicle body structure in the event of a rollover and furthermore increase the torsional resistance, each lateral roof frame in the area of the rearward spring strut receiving devices is additionally connected by way of a hollow support structure which extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle to the adjacent spring strut receiving device situated underneath.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority of 10 2005 012 543.3, filed in Germany on Mar. 18, 2005, the disclosure(s) of which is (are) expressly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a vehicle body structure for a passenger car equipped with a fastback, and more particular, to a passenger car body structure having lateral roof frames, rearward side parts and rearward spring strut receiving devices, the oppositely arranged lateral roof frames each constructed in the manner of a hollow support being mutually locally connected by way of transversely extending members.

In a known vehicle body structure for a passenger car equipped with a fastback, the two lateral roof frames in the rear area behind the two side doors are linked to the vehicle body structure situated underneath only by means of the rear side parts.

An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle body structure for a passenger car equipped with a fastback such that the roof intrusion in the event of a rollover is reduced and furthermore the torsional resistance of the passenger car is increased.

According to the invention, this object has been achieved by providing that each lateral roof frame in the area of the rearward spring strut receiving devices is additionally connected by way of a hollow support structure extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle to the adjacent spring strut receiving device situated underneath.

Among the principal advantages achieved with the present invention are that, as a result of the additional support of the two lateral roof frames in the area of the rear spring strut receiving devices by way of hollow support structures extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle, on one hand, the roof intrusion in the event of a vehicle rollover is clearly reduced and furthermore the torsional resistance of the vehicle is increased.

Over a significant portion of their longitudinal dimension, the lateral roof frames have a three-shell construction such that two hollow supports are formed which are arranged above one another and are closed in a cross-sectional view. At least in the rear area of the side doors and in the adjoining area, the center reinforcement of the lateral roof frame, in the top view, has an approximately L-shaped construction. The reinforcement, together with the side part situated underneath, forms a first top hollow support of a hollow support structure whose short leg extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle and, with its free end, points toward the outside in the direction of the exterior side of the vehicle. The L-shaped reinforcement and the side part, in areas, virtually form a hockey-stick-shaped hollow support. A second lower-positioned hollow support extends below the short transversely extending leg and forms a shoe-type console which is connected to the side part on the inside and to an upper wall of the spring strut receiving device.

As a result of the hollow support structure according to the present invention, the lateral roof frame is connected in the rear area in a force-transmitting manner to the vehicle body structure situated underneath. Thereby, a particularly effective support is achieved in the event of a vehicle rollover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A passenger car designated generally by numeral2equipped with a fastback1has a body structure3which, in the illustrated area, has a roof4, side doors5, rear side parts6and a rear end part7. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the roof4is composed of a forward fixed roof section4aand of a rearward swivellable flap8. A sliding roof or a removable roof part can be provided in the area of the roof section4a. The swivellable flap8comprises a forwardly directed rear window9and an adjoining rigid flap section. Instead of the swivellable flap8, a stationary rear window9alone can also be alternatively provided.

One elongated lateral roof frame10respectively extends along the roof4on each longitudinal side of the fastback-type passenger car2. The oppositely arranged lateral roof frames10, each constructed in the manner of a hollow support, are locally mutually connected by transversely extending members11,12,13.

The lateral roof frames10are mutually connected by way of a transversely extending member11arranged at the forward edge of the roof4, a transversely extending member12extending between the rearward edge of the roof section4aor the adjoining flap8, a transversely extending member13provided in the area of a reward back wall. Both lateral roof frames10extend from an upper area of upright forward hinge columns continuously to the rearward transversely extending member13.

In the area of the rear wheels14, rearward spring strut receiving devices15are in each case provided on the rearward side part6of the vehicle body structure3on the interior side. The spring strut receiving devices15can be connected with one another by another transversely extending member (not shown).

According to the present invention, and with reference toFIGS. 2 and 5, each lateral roof frame10in the area of the rearward spring strut receiving devices15is connected in a force-transmitting manner by a hollow support structure16extending in areas in the transverse direction of the vehicle to the adjoining spring strut receiving device15situated underneath. In the area designated generally by numeral17disposed in front of the rearward spring strut receiving device15, each lateral roof frame10is formed by the outside of a side part18, an intermediately connected reinforcement19and the inside of a side part20(see in particular,FIG. 4), and in this area has a width B1(FIG. 5). The outside of the side part18and the reinforcement19, on one hand, and the reinforcement19and the inside of the side part20, on the other hand, each form a closed hollow support21,22.

For forming the hollow support structure16, the reinforcement19of the lateral roof frame10, in areas, has an L-shaped construction as viewed in a top view, with the longer leg23of the reinforcement19extending in the longitudinal direction A-A of the vehicle along the lateral roof frame10. The shorter leg24of the L-shaped reinforcement19extends in the transverse direction B-B of the vehicle and points with its free end25to the exterior side of the vehicle. The shorter, transversely extending leg24of the L-shaped reinforcement19and the inside of the side part20situated below it form a first top-positioned hollow support26of the hollow support structure16. The first hollow support26has a width B2(FIG. 6) which is significantly greater than the width B1(FIG. 5).

The hollow support structure16also comprises a second hollow support situated underneath which is formed by the inside of the side part20, an upper wall28of the rearward spring strut receiving device15and a shoe-type console29as seen inFIG. 3. The shoe-type console29is connected to the bottom side of the inside of the side part20, to the top side of the rearward spring strut receiving device15and to the interior side of an upright wall section30of the inside of the side part20. In the area of the linkage to the inside of the side part20situated above it, the shoe-type console29has a greater width in the transverse direction of the vehicle than in the area of the linkage to the rearward spring strut receiving device15. In the area of the wheels, the outside of the side part18is connected by way of the outside of a wheel case31with the inside of the side part20. Furthermore, the inside of a wheel case32extends away from the inside of the side part20.