Patent Description:
Hitherto, front pillar portions each having a closed cross-section structure and located on both of left and right sides of a front windshield (so-called front window glass) in the vehicle width direction have generally been provided so as to extend diagonally rearward from upper end portions of hinge pillar portions that extend in the up-down direction and so as to support the front windshield and define door opening portions.

Pillar portion structures of the front pillar portions and the hinge pillar portions as above need to be reinforced in preparation for cases where load is input from a place above the vehicle or the vehicle rolls over by any chance due to bent portions generally being included in coupling sections of the front pillar portions and the hinge pillar portions.

For the purpose as above, <CIT> discloses a related-art structure that reinforces the pillar rigidity by providing a hollow closed section member in the front pillar portion in a region including the front pillar portion, specifically, from a roof side rail to the inside of the front pillar portion.

The hollow closed section member having the related-art structure disclosed in <CIT> is formed to have a triangular cross section having an outer wall located on the outer side in the curved direction and a first inner wall and a second inner wall located on the inner side in the curved direction. Although the hollow closed section member has an advantage in that the pillar rigidity can be reinforced, the weight of the hollow closed section member increases.

In recent years, from the viewpoint of improving fuel efficiency and improving the motion performance of the vehicle, weight saving of the vehicle body is desired, and there is a demand for realizing the reinforcement of the vehicle body with a lighter-weight configuration.

In particular, when the front pillar portion is formed to be thin in accordance with the purpose of improving visibility (improving frontal vision) and demands regarding the vehicle design, the cross-sectional shape suddenly changes at the portion that changes to the front pillar portion from the hinge pillar portion. When load is input, breakage easily occurs at the section in concern, and hence there has been room for improvement.

<CIT> describes a vehicle body structure which has a sub-window plate and a front fender each disposed at the rear of a headlamp lens on a sidewall of a vehicle body.

<CIT> describes that the front pillar as a vehicle body rigidity member is constructed with a first front pillar arranged on the front side of the vehicle body and a second front pillar arranged on the rear side thereof.

<CIT> relates to a reinforcement structure for a vehicle body.

<CIT> describes a door pillar with a support arrangement arranged in the area of a transition between a roof pillar area and a lower area of the door pillar.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is suppressing the bending deformation of the front pillar portion with respect to the hinge pillar portion when external force is input to the front pillar portion in the direction of bending the front pillar portion in the bending direction thereof.

Preferred embodiments are defined in dependent claims.

According to the invention, the reinforcement portion that suppresses the crushing of the closed cross-section portion between the front pillar portion and the hinge pillar portion is provided so as to cover the position at which the curvature is the maximum (that is, the position at which the radius of curvature is the smallest and which becomes the starting point of the bending deformation). Therefore, when external force is input to the front pillar portion in a direction of bending the front pillar portion in the bending direction thereof, the crushing of the closed cross-section portion can be suppressed by the reinforcement portion and the bending deformation of the front pillar portion with respect to the hinge pillar portion can be suppressed. By locally reinforcing the position that becomes the starting point of the bending deformation, the suppression of the bending deformation can be realized with a lightweight configuration.

The area of the cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the front pillar portion is smaller than the area of the cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the hinge pillar portion, and hence visibility can be improved (frontal vision can be improved) and the vehicle design properties can be improved.

Further particularly, in a side view of the vehicle, the reinforcement portion is provided at the position where the curvature of the edge on the door opening portion side is maximum.

Further particularly, the reinforcement portion is provided in a closed cross-section portion formed by the front pillar portion and the hinge pillar portion.

Further particularly, the reinforcement portion is configured to extend in the longitudinal direction of the bent portion.

Further particularly, the reinforcement portion is configured to extend in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the bent portion.

Further particularly, the reinforcement portion is configured to extend in the longitudinal direction of the bent portion beyond the position where the curvature of the edge on the door opening portion side in the bent portion is maximum.

In the present invention, the reinforcement portion is a plate-like member. The plate-like member has a bead portion formed substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the closed cross-section portion in which the plate-like member is provided.

With this configuration, by forming the bead portion, the proof stress/proof strength in the plate-like member (reinforcement portion) in the direction substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the closed cross-section portion is reinforced, and hence the crushing of the closed cross-section portion can be further suppressed and the bending deformation of the front pillar portion can be suppressed even more.

According to the invention, the reinforcement portion is a plate-like member. Particularly, the plate-like member has a flange portion formed substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the closed cross-section portion in which the plate-like member is provided.

With this configuration, by forming the flange portion, the proof stress in the plate-like member (reinforcement portion) in the direction substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the closed cross-section portion is reinforced, and hence the crushing of the closed cross-section portion can be further suppressed and the bending deformation of the front pillar portion can be suppressed even more.

According to the invention, the reinforcement portion is a plate-like member. Particularly, the plate-like member has a flange portion formed substantially along a longitudinal direction of the closed cross-section portion in which the plate-like member is provided.

With this configuration, by forming the flange portion, the proof stress in the plate-like member (reinforcement portion) in the direction along the longitudinal direction of the closed cross-section portion is reinforced, and hence the crushing of the closed cross-section portion can be further suppressed and the bending deformation of the front pillar portion can be suppressed even more.

According to the present invention, an advantageous effect of enabling the bending deformation of the front pillar portion with respect to the hinge pillar portion to be suppressed by suppressing the crushing of the closed cross-section portion when external force is input to the front pillar portion in the direction of bending the front pillar portion in the bending direction thereof is provided.

Further particularly, the flange portion is attached to an inner surface of the front pillar portion and/or the hinge pillar portion.

Further particularly, the plate-like member is attached to an inner surface of the front pillar portion and/or the hinge pillar portion.

Further particularly, a vehicle includes a front windshield, and the above upper vehicle-body structure.

An object of suppressing the bending deformation of a front pillar portion with respect to a hinge pillar portion when external force is input to the front pillar portion in the direction of bending the front pillar portion in the bending direction thereof has been attained by a configuration of an upper vehicle-body structure, including: front pillar portions each having a closed cross-section structure, the front pillar portions being located on both of left and right sides of a front windshield in a vehicle width direction; and hinge pillar portions each having a closed cross-section structure, the hinge pillar portions extending downward from front end portions of the front pillar portions to support door hinge members. In the upper vehicle-body structure, an area of a cross section orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of each of the front pillar portions is smaller than an area of a cross section orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of each of the hinge pillar portions, and a reinforcement portion that suppresses crushing of a closed cross-section portion formed by the front pillar portion and the hinge pillar portion is provided so as to cover a position at which a curvature of an edge on a door opening portion side is maximum in a cross section orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of a bent portion between the front pillar portion and the hinge pillar portion.

Embodiments and aspects of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The drawings illustrate the upper vehicle-body structure. <FIG> is a perspective view illustrating a vehicle-body structure of an entire vehicle including the upper vehicle-body structure. <FIG> is a side view of the right side of the vehicle in <FIG>. <FIG> is an exploded side view illustrating a state in which the upper vehicle-body structure is disassembled into a front pillar outer portion, a hinge pillar outer portion, and a hinge pillar upper-inner portion and seen from the inner side in the vehicle width direction. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A from arrows in <FIG>. <FIG> is a perspective view of a reinforcement portion. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B from arrows in <FIG>.

Note that a vehicle-body structure of an electric automobile that does not include an internal-combustion engine for vehicle traveling, an exhaust pipe, and a center tunnel portion that extends so as to be long in the vehicle front-rear direction is exemplified in the embodiment below, but the present invention is not only limited to the vehicle-body structure of the electric automobile.

First, the vehicle-body structure of the entire vehicle is described with reference to <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a dash panel (in detail, a dash lower panel) that separates a motor room/compartment of the vehicle front portion and a vehicle interior (or a cabin) behind the motor room in the vehicle front-rear direction is provided, and a floor panel <NUM> having a substantially flat shape is disposed on a lower rear-end portion of the dash panel in a continuous manner.

The floor panel <NUM> forms a floor surface of the vehicle interior, and side sills <NUM> each having a closed cross-section structure that extend in the vehicle front-rear direction are provided on both of left and right sides of the floor panel <NUM> in the vehicle width direction. The side sills <NUM> are vehicle body strength members each having a side sill closed cross-section portion extending in the vehicle front-rear direction obtained by fixing a side sill inner portion 2a and a side sill outer portion 2b to each other by joining.

A front-portion cross member <NUM> (so-called No. <NUM> cross member) that linearly couples front portions of the pair of left and right side sills <NUM>, <NUM> to each other in the vehicle width direction is provided. The front-portion cross member <NUM> is particularly formed by a member having a hat-shaped cross section, and a closed cross-section portion linearly extending in the vehicle width direction is formed between the floor panel <NUM> and the front-portion cross member <NUM> by joining the lower flange of the member to the floor panel <NUM>.

On the rear side of the front-portion cross member <NUM>, an intermediate cross member <NUM> (so-called No. <NUM> cross member) that linearly couples intermediate portions of the pair of left and right side sills <NUM> in the front-rear direction to each other in the vehicle width direction is provided. The intermediate cross member <NUM> is also formed by a member having a hat-shaped cross section, and a closed cross-section portion linearly extending in the vehicle width direction is formed between the floor panel <NUM> and the intermediate cross member <NUM> by joining a lower flange of the member to the floor panel <NUM>.

The intermediate cross member <NUM> and the front-portion cross member <NUM> are parallelly disposed.

On the rear side of the intermediate cross member <NUM>, a kick-up portion <NUM> that rises upward and then extends rearward from an upper end thereof is particularly formed. On a lower-side portion of the kick-up portion <NUM>, a cross member (so-called No. <NUM> cross member) extending in the vehicle width direction is provided. A closed cross-section portion extending in the vehicle width direction is formed between the cross member and the kick-up portion <NUM>.

A rear seat pan <NUM> for mounting the rear seat is particularly provided on the rear side of the kick-up portion <NUM>. Further, a rear floor pan <NUM> that forms a floor surface of a trunk is disposed on the rear side of the rear seat pan <NUM> in a continuous manner.

A rear cross member <NUM> (so-called No. <NUM> cross member) that extends in the vehicle width direction across a rear end portion of the rear seat pan <NUM> and a front end portion of the rear floor pan <NUM> is provided, and a closed cross-section portion extending in the vehicle width direction is formed between the rear cross member <NUM> and each of the rear seat pan <NUM> and the rear floor pan <NUM>.

Meanwhile, as illustrated in <FIG>, a partial tunnel portion <NUM> that protrudes into the vehicle interior is formed in the center of the front portion of the floor panel <NUM> in the vehicle width direction. The tunnel portion <NUM> is a partial portion only formed between the rear end of the lower portion of the dash panel and a portion immediately before the front-portion cross member <NUM>.

As illustrated in the same figure, a floor frame <NUM> (in detail, a floor frame upper portion) is fixed to the intermediate portion between the tunnel portion <NUM> and the side sill <NUM> in the vehicle width direction by joining. The floor frame <NUM> has a hat cross-sectional shape, and a closed cross-section portion extending in the vehicle front-rear direction is formed between the floor frame <NUM> and each of the floor panel <NUM> and the lower portion of the dash panel by joining a lower flange of the floor frame <NUM> across the floor panel <NUM> and the lower portion of the dash panel.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a bracket <NUM> provided to protrude that is substantially M-shaped in front view of the vehicle is fixed so as to protrude in an intermediate portion between the front-portion cross member <NUM> and the intermediate cross member <NUM> in the front-rear direction and in a central position in the vehicle width direction.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a kick-up portion reinforcement member <NUM> having an upper wall, left and right side walls, and a front wall is particularly provided on a central portion immediately before the kick-up portion <NUM> in the vehicle width direction, and is formed so as to reinforce the kick-up portion <NUM> by joining a lower flange of the kick-up portion reinforcement member <NUM> to the floor panel <NUM> and the kick-up portion <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, front pillar portions <NUM> each having a closed cross-section structure that are located on portions on both of left and right sides of a front windshield (so-called front window glass) in the vehicle width direction and extend in a forwardly descending form are provided.

Hinge pillar portions <NUM> each having a closed cross-section structure that extend downward from the front end portions of the pair of left and right front pillar portions <NUM>, <NUM> to support the door hinge members are provided. Each of the hinge pillar portions <NUM> is a vehicle body strength member extending in the vehicle up-down direction obtained particularly by fixing a hinge pillar inner portion <NUM> horizontally divided into a hinge pillar upper-inner portion <NUM> and a hinge pillar lower-inner portion <NUM>, and a hinge pillar outer portion <NUM> to each other by joining. A hinge pillar closed cross-section portion extending in the vehicle up-down direction is formed between the hinge pillar inner portion <NUM> and the hinge pillar outer portion <NUM>. The hinge pillar portion <NUM> is a strength member that couples a front end of the side sill <NUM> and an inclined lower end portion of the front pillar portion <NUM> to each other in the up-down direction.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a pair of left and right roof side rails <NUM>, <NUM> is provided. The pair of left and right roof side rails <NUM>, <NUM> is continuous from the front pillar portions <NUM> to the vehicle rear side, extends in the vehicle front-rear direction in a state closer to being horizontal than the front pillar portions <NUM>, and is joined to a roof panel. In other words, the roof side rails <NUM> are vehicle body strength members extending along the vehicle front-rear direction on both of left and right sides of the upper portion of the vehicle body in the vehicle width direction, and the roof side rails <NUM> are each formed to have a closed cross-section structure.

As illustrated in the same figure, rear pillar portions <NUM> each having a closed cross-section structure that are continuous from the roof side rail <NUM> to the vehicle rear side and extend to the rear side while curving in a front-high rear-low shape are provided.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a front header <NUM> that extends in the vehicle width direction between front end portions of the roof side rails <NUM> and has both of left and right end portions thereof fixed to the roof side rails <NUM> is provided.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a rear header <NUM> that extends in the vehicle width direction between upper end portions of the rear pillar portions <NUM> and has both of left and right end portions thereof fixed to the rear pillar portions <NUM> are provided.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a plurality of roof reinforcements <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> spaced apart from each other in the vehicle front-rear direction are provided between the front header <NUM> and the rear header <NUM>. Those roof reinforcements <NUM> to <NUM> extend in the vehicle width direction between the pair of left and right roof side rails <NUM>, <NUM>, and each have both of left and right end portions thereof fixed to the roof side rails <NUM>. Those roof reinforcements <NUM> to <NUM> are reinforcements each having a width (front-rear width) in the vehicle front-rear direction and bridging the pair of left and right roof side rails <NUM>, <NUM> in the vehicle width direction.

Incidentally, as illustrated in <FIG>, rear side frames <NUM> each having a closed cross-section structure that extend in the vehicle front-rear direction are provided on both sides of the rear floor pan <NUM> in the vehicle width direction, and front end portions of the rear side frames <NUM> are disposed so as to extend frontward to positions that overlap with rear end portions of the side sills <NUM>.

A side panel inner portion <NUM> and a rear wheel well <NUM> are provided on the outer side of each of the rear side frames <NUM> in the vehicle width direction, and a gusset member <NUM> that couples a damper support portion on the upper end portion of the rear wheel well <NUM> and the rear pillar portion <NUM> in the vehicle front-rear direction in a substantially horizontal form is particularly provided.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a brace member <NUM> is particularly provided so as to be continuous from an end portion of the rear cross member <NUM> in the vehicle width direction to the upper side of the vehicle. The brace member <NUM> is fixed to the inner surface of the rear wheel well <NUM> and the side panel inner portion <NUM> by joining, and a closed cross-section portion extending in the vehicle up-down direction is formed between the brace member <NUM> and each of the side panel inner portion <NUM> and the rear wheel well <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, structure bodies <NUM> each having a closed cross-sectional shape are provided. Each of the structure bodies <NUM> couples the rear portion of the roof side rail <NUM> corresponding to the roof reinforcement <NUM> located on the rearmost side of the vehicle out of the plurality of roof reinforcements <NUM> to <NUM> and the rear end portion of the side sill <NUM> below the rear portion in a substantially up-down direction of the vehicle. The structure body <NUM> also serves as a rear-side hinge pillar.

As illustrated in <FIG>, an annular/ring structure body LS that is annularly continuous in side view of the vehicle is formed by the roof side rail <NUM> that forms an upper wall portion having a closed cross-section structure, the front pillar portion <NUM> that forms an oblique side portion having a closed cross-section structure, the hinge pillar portion <NUM> that forms a front wall portion having a closed cross-section structure, the side sill <NUM> that forms a lower wall portion having a closed cross-section structure, and the structure body <NUM> that forms a rear wall portion having a closed cross-section structure. A door opening portion <NUM> without a center pillar is formed on the side portion of the vehicle by those elements <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>. The door opening portion <NUM> is opened and/or closed by a front-hinged front door and a rear-hinged rear door. The front end of the front door of the suicide door structure is attached to the hinge pillar portion <NUM> via a door hinge member so as to be openable and closable, and the rear end of the rear door is attached to the structure body <NUM> via a door hinge member so as to be openable and closable.

The structure body <NUM> is a vehicle body strength member extending in a substantially up-down direction of the vehicle on the rear portion of the door opening portion <NUM>, and a front end pivotably supporting portion <NUM> of a trailing arm <NUM> in a torsion beam type rear suspension <NUM> serving as a rear suspension member of the vehicle is particularly provided near the lower end portion of the structure body <NUM>. The front end pivotably supporting portion <NUM> is attached to an outer-side portion of the rear side frame <NUM> in the vehicle width direction via a support bracket.

As illustrated in <FIG>, an opening of an opening portion <NUM> for disposing a quarter window is formed in the rear side of the upper portion of the structure body <NUM>. Substantially the entire side surface of the vehicle body including the abovementioned elements, that is, the structure body <NUM>, the roof side rail <NUM>, the rear pillar portion <NUM>, the side panel inner portion <NUM>, and the side sills <NUM> is covered with a body side outer panel <NUM> serving as a vehicle body outer plate except for the opening portion <NUM> and the door opening portion <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the front pillar portion <NUM> is a vehicle body strength member having a closed cross-section portion <NUM> along a longitudinal direction X of the front pillar portion <NUM> obtained by joining a front pillar outer portion <NUM> and a front pillar inner portion <NUM> to each other.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the front pillar outer portion <NUM> is particularly obtained by integrally forming an upper-side flange 14a, an upper wall 14b, an upper-portion side wall 14c, a coupling wall 14d, a lower-portion side wall 14e, a lower wall 14f, and a lower-side flange <NUM>, and the front pillar inner portion <NUM> is obtained by integrally forming an upper-side flange 15a, a side wall 15b, a lower wall 15c, and an lower-side flange 15d.

An inclined lower end side of the front pillar portion <NUM> is formed so as to overlap with the upper end side of the hinge pillar portion <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a width W1 in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction X (in detail, the area of the cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction X) of the front pillar portion <NUM> is formed to be smaller than a width W2 orthogonal to a longitudinal direction (that is, the up-down direction) Y of the hinge pillar portion <NUM> (in detail, the area of the cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction Y). In other words, a relational expression of W1<W2 is satisfied.

As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, a bent portion <NUM> is formed between the upper end portion of the hinge pillar portion <NUM> and the inclined lower end portion of the front pillar portion <NUM>, and a plate-like member <NUM> serving as a reinforcement portion that covers a position at which the curvature of the edge on the door opening portion <NUM> side is the maximum/or the largest (a position at which the radius of curvature is the minimum or the smallest) is provided in a cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the bent portion <NUM>, that is, a closed cross-section portion (a section corresponding to the bent portion <NUM> out of the closed cross-section portion <NUM>) orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. The crushing/deformation of the closed cross-section portion of the front pillar portion <NUM> and the hinge pillar portion <NUM> is suppressed by the plate-like member <NUM>.

Specifically, as illustrated in <FIG>, the plate-like member <NUM> (i.e., the reinforcement portion) is provided at a position where, in the side view of the vehicle, a curvature of an edge <NUM> on the door opening portion <NUM> side in the bent portion <NUM> is maximum.

In other words, the plate-like member <NUM> is provided at the position in the longitudinal direction of the bent portion where the curvature of the edge <NUM> on the door opening portion <NUM> side in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the bent portion <NUM> is maximum.

The plate-like member <NUM> is configured to extend in the longitudinal direction of the bent portion <NUM> and in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the bent portion <NUM>. Therefore, the plate-like member <NUM> is configured to cover the position at which the curvature of the edge <NUM> on the door opening portion <NUM> side in the bent portion <NUM> is maximum. In other words, the plate-like member <NUM> is configured to extend, in the longitudinal direction of the bent portion (<NUM>), from the position at which the curvature of the edge <NUM> on the door opening portion <NUM> side in the bent portion <NUM> is maximum.

As a result, when external force is input to the front pillar portion <NUM> in the direction of bending the front pillar portion <NUM> in the bending direction thereof, the crushing of the closed cross-section portion <NUM> is suppressed by the plate-like member <NUM> serving as a reinforcement portion and the bending deformation of the front pillar portion <NUM> with respect to the hinge pillar portion <NUM> is suppressed.

As illustrated in <FIG>, <FIG>, the plate-like member <NUM> is particularly obtained by integrally forming a member main body 50a, a bead portion 50b provided on an intermediate portion of the member main body 50a in the front-rear direction so as to inwardly protrude in the vehicle width direction, an upper-side orthogonal flange 50c inwardly extending in the vehicle width direction from an upper end of the member main body 50a, a lower-side orthogonal flange 50d inwardly extending in the vehicle width direction from a lower end of the member main body 50a, a front-side longitudinal flange 50e inwardly extending in the vehicle width direction from a front end of the member main body 50a, and a rear-side longitudinal flange 50f inwardly extending in the vehicle width direction from a rear end of the member main body 50a. The plate-like member <NUM> can be formed by pressing metal.

The bead portion 50b is formed along an orthogonal direction Z substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal direction Xa of the closed cross-section portion <NUM> in which the plate-like member <NUM> is provided, to thereby reinforce the proof stress/proof strength of the plate-like member <NUM> in the orthogonal direction Z and further suppress the crushing of the closed cross-section portion <NUM>. According to the invention, the bead portion 50b is formed in a front-high rear-low shape in which the vehicle front side thereof is high and the vehicle rear side thereof is low. Note that only a single bead portion 50b is formed in this embodiment, but a structure in which a plurality of bead portions are formed along the orthogonal direction Z may also be employed.

The upper-side orthogonal flange 50c and the lower-side orthogonal flange 50d are formed along the orthogonal direction Z substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction Xa of the closed cross-section portion <NUM> in which the plate-like member <NUM> is provided, to thereby reinforce the proof stress of the plate-like member <NUM> in the orthogonal direction Z and further suppress the crushing of the closed cross-section portion <NUM>.

The front-side longitudinal flange 50e and the rear-side longitudinal flange 50f are formed along the longitudinal direction Xa of the closed cross-section portion <NUM> in which the plate-like member <NUM> is provided, to thereby reinforce the proof stress of the plate-like member <NUM> in the direction along the longitudinal direction Xa and suppress the crushing of the closed cross-section portion <NUM> even more. By the flanges 50c, 50d, 50e, and 50f, the proof stress of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle width direction is also increased, and strength against the crush deformation is increased.

As illustrated in <FIG>, on the lower end portion and the upper end portion of the front-side longitudinal flange 50e in the plate-like member <NUM>, protruding portions <NUM> and <NUM> are integrally formed with the flange 50e. As illustrated in <FIG>, the protruding portions <NUM> and <NUM> are fixed to the upper wall 14b of the front pillar outer portion <NUM> by joining by joining means such as spot welding, and the lower portion and the upper portion of the rear-side longitudinal flange 50f in the plate-like member <NUM> are fixed to the lower wall 14f of the front pillar outer portion <NUM> by joining by joining means such as spot welding.

Note that, in the drawings, arrow F indicates the vehicle front side, arrow R indicates the vehicle rear side, arrow IN indicates the inner side in the vehicle width direction, arrow OUT indicates the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and arrow UP indicates the vehicle upper side.

As described above, the upper vehicle-body structure of the abovementioned embodiment includes: the front pillar portions <NUM> each having a closed cross-section structure, the front pillar portions <NUM> being located on both of left and right sides of the front windshield in the vehicle width direction; and the hinge pillar portions <NUM> each having a closed cross-section structure, the hinge pillar portions <NUM> extending downward from front end portions of the front pillar portion <NUM> to support door hinge members, the area of the cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction X of each of the front pillar portions <NUM> is smaller than the area of the cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction Y of each of the hinge pillar portions <NUM>, and the reinforcement portion (see the plate-like member <NUM>) that suppresses the crushing of the closed cross-section portion <NUM> formed by the front pillar portion <NUM> and the hinge pillar portion <NUM> is provided (see <FIG>, <FIG>) so as to cover the position at which the curvature of the edge on the door opening portion <NUM> side is maximum in the cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction (see the closed cross-section portion <NUM>) of the bent portion <NUM> between the front pillar portion <NUM> and the hinge pillar portion <NUM>.

Particularly, as shown in <FIG>, the plate-like member <NUM> (the bead portion 50b) is configured to extend, from the upper wall 14b to the lower wall 14f, in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction at a position where the curvature, in the side view of the vehicle, of the edge of the bent portion <NUM> on the door opening portion <NUM> side is maximum.

With this configuration, the reinforcement portion (plate-like member <NUM>) that suppresses the crushing of the closed cross-section portion <NUM> between the front pillar portion <NUM> and the hinge pillar portion <NUM> is provided so as to cover the position at which the curvature is the maximum (that is, the position at which the radius of curvature is the smallest and which becomes the starting point of the bending deformation). Therefore, when external force is input to the front pillar portion <NUM> in a direction of bending the front pillar portion <NUM> in the bending direction thereof, the crushing of the closed cross-section portion <NUM> can be suppressed by the reinforcement portion (plate-like member <NUM>) and the bending deformation of the front pillar portion <NUM> with respect to the hinge pillar portion <NUM> can be suppressed. By locally reinforcing the position that becomes the starting point of the bending deformation, the suppression of the bending deformation can be realized with a lightweight configuration.

The area of the cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction X of the front pillar portion <NUM> is smaller than the area of the cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction Y of the hinge pillar portion <NUM>, and hence visibility can be improved (frontal vision can be improved) and the vehicle design properties can be improved.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcement portion is the plate-like member <NUM>, and the plate-like member <NUM> has the bead portion 50b formed substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction Xa of the closed cross-section portion <NUM> in which the plate-like member <NUM> is provided (see <FIG>).

With this configuration, by forming the bead portion 50b, the proof stress in the plate-like member <NUM> (reinforcement portion) in the direction Z substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction Xa of the closed cross-section portion <NUM> is reinforced, and hence the crushing of the closed cross-section portion <NUM> can be further suppressed and the bending deformation of the front pillar portion <NUM> can be suppressed even more.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcement portion is the plate-like member <NUM>, and the plate-like member <NUM> has flange portions (the upper-side orthogonal flange 50c and the lower-side orthogonal flange 50d) formed substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction Xa of the closed cross-section portion <NUM> in which the plate-like member <NUM> is provided (see <FIG>).

With this configuration, by forming the flange portions (the upper-side orthogonal flange 50c and the lower-side orthogonal flange 50d), the proof stress in the plate-like member <NUM> (reinforcement portion) in the direction Z substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction Xa of the closed cross-section portion <NUM> is reinforced, and hence the crushing of the closed cross-section portion <NUM> can be further suppressed and the bending deformation of the front pillar portion <NUM> can be suppressed even more.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the reinforcement portion is the plate-like member <NUM>, and the plate-like member <NUM> has flange portions (the front-side longitudinal flange 50e and the rear-side longitudinal flange 50f) formed along the longitudinal direction Xa of the closed cross-section portion <NUM> in which the plate-like member <NUM> is provided (see <FIG>).

With this configuration, by forming the flange portions (the front-side longitudinal flange 50e and the rear-side longitudinal flange 50f), the proof stress in the plate-like member <NUM> (reinforcement portion) in the direction along the longitudinal direction Xa of the closed cross-section portion <NUM> is reinforced, and hence the crushing of the closed cross-section portion <NUM> can be further suppressed and the bending deformation of the front pillar portion <NUM> can be suppressed even more.

Regarding the correspondence between the configuration of the present invention and the abovementioned embodiment, the reinforcement portion of the present invention corresponds to the plate-like member <NUM> of this embodiment. Similarly, the flange portion substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction corresponds to the upper-side orthogonal flange 50c and the lower-side orthogonal flange 50d, and the flange portion along the longitudinal direction corresponds to the front-side longitudinal flange 50e and the rear-side longitudinal flange 50f. However, the present invention is not only limited to the configurations of the abovementioned embodiment.

For example, in the abovementioned embodiment, only a single bead portion 50b is formed on the plate-like member <NUM>, but a structure in which a plurality of bead portions are integrally formed along the orthogonal direction Z so as to be substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction Xa of the closed cross-section portion <NUM> may be employed.

Claim 1:
An upper vehicle-body structure, comprising:
front pillar portions (<NUM>) each having a closed cross-section structure, the front pillar portions (<NUM>) configured to be located on both of left and right sides of a front windshield in a vehicle width direction; and
hinge pillar portions (<NUM>) each having a closed cross-section structure, the hinge pillar portions (<NUM>) extending downward from front end portions of the front pillar portions (<NUM>) and being configured to support door hinge members, wherein
a reinforcement portion (<NUM>) at least provided at a position where a curvature of an edge (<NUM>) on a door opening portion (<NUM>) side in a bent portion (<NUM>) between the front pillar portion (<NUM>) and the hinge pillar portion (<NUM>) is maximum,
the reinforcement portion (<NUM>) is a plate-like member,
an area of a cross section orthogonal to a longitudinal direction (X) of each of the front pillar portions (<NUM>) is smaller than an area of a cross section orthogonal to a longitudinal direction (X) of each of the hinge pillar portions (<NUM>), and
the plate-like member has a bead portion (50b) formed substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the closed cross-section portion (<NUM>) in which the plate-like member is provided,
characterized in that
the bead portion (50b) is formed in a front-high rear-low shape in which a vehicle front side thereof is high and a vehicle rear side thereof is low.