IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,745,697
Granted Patent B2
US 11,745,697 · App. 17/835,212 · Granted Sep 5, 2023

Side vehicle-body structure of vehicle

Inventors: Shuji Muraoka (Hiroshima, JP); Kosuke Nagatomo (Hiroshima, JP)
Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
B60R22/34B62D21/11B62D25/02B60R2022/3402
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,745,697
App. No.
17/835,212
Granted
Sep 5, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

There are provided a side panel constituting a vehicle side face at a higher level than a damper attachment portion suspending a rear wheel, a retractor fixed to a cabin-inside face of the side panel, a frame member forming a closed-cross section extending vertically in corporation with the side panel, and a reinforcing member fixed to the side panel. The reinforcing member comprises a retractor attachment portion to attach the retractor, a gusset portion to partition the closed-cross section of a C pillar reinforcement vertically, and a vibration-damping joint portion joined to the side panel via a vibration-damping material. Herein, the reinforcing member is formed integrally by a member which is configured to be continuous over a range of the retractor attachment portion, the gusset portion and the vibration-damping joint portion.

Claims (19)

1. A side vehicle-body structure of a vehicle, comprising:

a rear suspension suspending a rear wheel;

a side panel constituting a side face of the vehicle at a higher level than a rear-suspension attachment portion to attach the rear suspension to the vehicle;

a seatbelt retractor attached to a cabin-inside face of the side panel;

a frame member forming a closed-cross section extending vertically in corporation with the side panel; and

a reinforcing member attached to the side panel,

wherein said reinforcing member comprises a retractor attachment portion to attach said seatbelt retractor, a gusset portion to partition the closed-cross section of said frame member vertically, and a vibration-damping joint portion joined to said side panel via a vibration-damping material,

said reinforcing member is formed integrally by a member which is configured to be continuous over a range of said retractor attachment portion, said gusset portion and said vibration-damping joint portion, and

said retractor attachment portion is provided at a higher level than said vibration-damping joint portion.

2. The side vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said vibration-damping joint portion is provided at a point of said reinforcing member which corresponds to said closed-cross section in a vehicle side view.

3. The side vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 2 , wherein said vibration-damping joint portion includes a bead which partially protrudes toward an inward side or an outward side, in a vehicle width direction, of the vibration-damping joint portion so as to engage with said vibration-damping material and extends in a longitudinal direction.

4. The side vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 3 , wherein said retractor attachment portion is located at a position spaced apart, in a longitudinal direction, from said frame member, and a high-rigidity portion which is configured to provide deformation suppression against a bending input applied in a vehicle width direction is provided at said reinforcing member at a point located between, in the longitudinal direction, said retractor attachment portion and said gusset portion.

5. The side vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 4 , wherein said high-rigidity portion is a flange portion which is formed at an edge portion extending in the longitudinal direction of said reinforcing member.

6. The side vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 5 , wherein said high-rigidity portion is a striker attachment portion to attach a striker fixed to the cabin-inside face of said side panel to said reinforcing member.

7. The side vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 6 , wherein said striker attachment portion is a rear-side striker attachment portion which is provided at a point closer to said retractor attachment portion, in a vehicle longitudinal direction, than said frame member, said striker is fixed to said reinforcing member by said rear-side striker attachment portion and a front-side striker attachment portion which is provided at a point corresponding to said closed-cross section in a vehicle side view, and a striker base portion provided at said striker is provided to extend between said rear-side striker attachment portion and said front-side striker attachment portion.

8. The side vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 7 , wherein said retractor attachment portion is a front-side retractor attachment portion which attaches a point of said seatbelt retractor which is located on a forward side of a gravity center of the seatbelt retractor, and said frame member and said reinforcing member are fixed on a cabin outside of said side panel.

9. The side vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said vibration-damping joint portion includes a bead which partially protrudes toward an inward side or an outward side, in a vehicle width direction, of the vibration-damping joint portion so as to engage with said vibration-damping material and extends in a longitudinal direction.

10. The side vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said retractor attachment portion is located at a position spaced apart, in a longitudinal direction, from said frame member, and a high rigidity portion which is configured to provide deformation suppression against a bending input applied in a vehicle width direction is provided at said reinforcing member at a point located between, in the longitudinal direction, said retractor attachment portion and said gusset portion.

11. The side vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said retractor attachment portion is a front-side retractor attachment portion which attaches a point of said seatbelt retractor which is located on a forward side of a gravity center of the seatbelt retractor, and said frame member and said reinforcing member are fixed on a cabin outside of said side panel.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 8, 2022
From: MURAOKA, SHUJI; NAGATOMO, KOSUKE
To: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 060136/0419 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-138889 · Aug 27, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230067279A1 · Mar 2, 2023