JP7718177B2 - Vehicle side body structure - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a side body structure for a vehicle that includes, for example, a side panel that forms the side of the vehicle, a retractor that is attached to the interior surface of the vehicle cabin at multiple attachment points on the side that are spaced apart in the fore-and-aft direction, and a rear seat seat belt device that has a seat belt extending from the retractor toward the front of the vehicle.

Retractors for fastening seat belts are typically fixed in a cantilevered manner to the side of the vehicle, positioned in a position offset inward in the vehicle width direction from the side of the vehicle. Therefore, during a collision that results in a collision mode in which the seat belt locks, if a forward tensile load is input from the seat belt to the retractor, a moment acts on the retractor in a direction that displaces the front side outward in the vehicle width direction. There is concern that this moment could cause a load to concentrate on the retractor's attachment point to the side of the vehicle.

To address this issue, Patent Document 1 discloses a structure that includes a reinforcing member that reinforces the side of the vehicle where the retractor is attached, and further includes a bead on the reinforcing member to prevent deformation of the reinforcing member.

In order to withstand the above-mentioned moments acting on the retractor, it is preferable to support the retractor with mounting parts spaced apart in the fore-and-aft direction, and so retractors have traditionally been attached to the side of the vehicle with mounting parts spaced apart in the fore-and-aft direction.

However, of the mounting sections spaced apart from each other in the front and rear, the rear mounting section may be subjected to a load (peeling load) in a direction that causes it to peel off from the side of the vehicle (inward in the vehicle width direction) due to the above-mentioned moment acting on the retractor.

However, the configuration in Patent Document 1 merely provides a bead to suppress deformation of the reinforcing member itself in response to the load input to the reinforcing member as the above-mentioned moment acts on the retractor. In short, Patent Document 1 does not mention any measures to prevent loads being applied directly to the attachment portion of the retractor to the reinforcing member, i.e., peeling loads acting on the rear attachment portion.

For this reason, it is necessary to suppress deformation of the rear mounting parts by increasing the number of rear mounting parts or by increasing the thickness of the rear mounting parts and the surrounding area, but this would raise concerns about increased mass and cost.

JP 2013-184658 A

The present invention was made in consideration of these issues, and aims to provide a vehicle side body structure that can suppress deformation of the retractor attachment portions spaced apart from each other at the front and rear of the vehicle body during a collision that results in a collision mode in which the seat belt is locked, without increasing mass or cost.

The present invention provides a side body structure for a vehicle comprising: a side panel that forms the side of the vehicle; a retractor that is attached to the interior surface of the vehicle cabin at a plurality of attachment portions spaced apart in the fore-and-aft direction on the side; and a rear seat seat belt device that has a seat belt extending from the retractor toward the front of the vehicle, wherein the attachment portions have a front attachment portion located forward of the position of the center of gravity of the retractor and a rear attachment portion located rearward of the position of the center of gravity, and the side has an inner protruding portion that protrudes more inward in the vehicle width direction than the side panel and forms an inner surface in the vehicle width direction that extends in the up-down and fore-and-aft directions, the front attachment portion is fixed to the side panel, and the rear attachment portion is fixed to the inner surface in the vehicle width direction , and the inner protruding portion is a skeletal member that vertically connects a rear frame that forms a closed cross section of the rear frame extending in the fore-and-aft direction below the side panel, and a rear pillar that forms a closed cross section of the rear pillar above the side panel .

The present invention also provides a side body structure for a vehicle including a side panel constituting a side surface of the vehicle, a retractor attached from an interior surface of the vehicle compartment at a plurality of attachment portions spaced apart in the front-rear direction on the side surface, and a rear seat seat belt device having a seat belt extending from the retractor toward the front of the vehicle, wherein the attachment portions have a front attachment portion located forward of the position of the center of gravity of the retractor and a rear attachment portion located rearward of the position of the center of gravity, and a rear attachment portion protruding from the side surface so as to be spaced apart more inward in the vehicle width direction than the side panel and extending in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction. a C-pillar defining the rear edge of a rear entrance/exit of the vehicle, the C-pillar having an inner protrusion that forms an inner surface in the vehicle width direction from which the front mounting portion is fixed to the side panel and the rear mounting portion is fixed to the inner surface in the vehicle width direction, the C-pillar cooperating with the side panel to form a C-pillar closed cross section, the C-pillar closed cross section having a node that divides the C-pillar closed cross section in the extension direction of the C-pillar, a reinforcing member having the node integrally formed therewith is fixed to the side panel, and the retractor is attached to the reinforcing member at the front mounting portion.

With this configuration, the rear mounting portion is located more inward in the vehicle width direction than the front mounting portion. Therefore, when a frontal load is applied to the retractor due to a collision that causes a collision mode in which the seat belt is locked, the peeling load component applied to the rear mounting portion is reduced while the shear load component is increased, thereby suppressing deformation of the rear mounting portion.

Meanwhile, when a frontal load is input to the retractor, a load acts on the front mounting portion outward in the vehicle width direction. However, as described above, by suppressing deformation of the rear mounting portion in the peeling direction, it is possible to suppress deformation of the front mounting portion outward in the vehicle width direction (i.e., deformation in which the side panel at the front mounting portion is pushed outward in the vehicle width direction), and as a result, deformation of the mounting portion of the retractor to the side of the vehicle can be suppressed.

Furthermore, the present invention reduces the moment acting on the rear mounting portion of the retractor, i.e., the load in the peeling direction (inward in the vehicle width direction), simply by positioning the rear mounting portion more inward in the vehicle width direction than the front mounting portion. Therefore, unlike conventional methods, there is no need to reinforce the rear mounting portion and its surrounding areas by increasing the number of rear mounting portions or by increasing the thickness of the rear mounting portions and reinforcing members located in their vicinity to withstand the load acting on the rear mounting portion in the peeling direction. In other words, the present invention can suppress increases in mass and cost compared to conventional methods of reinforcing the rear mounting portion and its surrounding areas.

As a result, the present invention can suppress deformation of the retractor's attachment portions to the vehicle body, which are spaced apart from each other at the front and rear, during a collision that results in a collision mode in which the seat belt is locked, without increasing mass or cost.

Furthermore, as described above, the inner protrusion is a skeletal member that vertically connects the rear frame, which forms a closed cross section of the rear frame extending in the fore-and-aft direction below the side panel, and the rear pillar, which forms a closed cross section of the rear pillar above the side panel.

With this configuration, in the event of a collision, the frame member can support the impact load input from the retractor to the side panel due to the forward tensile load input from the seat belt to the retractor.

Furthermore, even in a configuration in which the retractor is mounted in a cantilevered manner offset inward in the vehicle width direction from the rear side of the vehicle, the frame member can suppress vibration of the retractor while the vehicle is moving.

Furthermore, by using a skeletal member attached to the rear side of the vehicle as the inward protrusion, deformation of the retractor mounting portion can be suppressed, further minimizing increases in mass and cost.

As described above, the C-pillar that defines the rear edge of the vehicle's rear entrance cooperates with the side panel to form a C-pillar closed cross section, and a node that divides the C-pillar closed cross section in the extension direction of the C-pillar is provided on the C-pillar closed cross section, a reinforcing member integrally formed with the node is fixed to the side panel, and the retractor is attached to the reinforcing member at the front mounting portion.

In the event of a collision, deformation of the front mounting part due to the impact load input from the retractor caused by the forward tensile load input from the seat belt to the retractor can be suppressed by the support of the node within the cross section of the framework member. In addition, since there is no need to make the reinforcing member itself thicker or stronger, an increase in vehicle weight can be suppressed.

In one aspect of the present invention, the upper end of the framework member may be fixed to a corner portion connecting the outer end of a rear header extending in the vehicle width direction along the rear edge of the roof of the vehicle to the upper end of the rear pillar.

With this configuration, when a forward tensile load from the seat belt is input to the retractor during a collision, the impact load (forward shear load) applied to the frame member from the retractor can be dispersed and transmitted from the frame member to the rear header and rear pillar. Furthermore, because the frame member can suppress deformation of the corner portions, the rigidity of the rear portion of the vehicle body can also be increased.

In one aspect of this invention, the inner surface in the vehicle width direction may be arranged on an extension line extending rearward in the longitudinal direction of the seat belt from a forward extending portion of the seat belt that extends forward relative to the retractor in a plan view of the vehicle.

With this configuration, the load input point (force point) of the retractor where a forward tensile load is input from the seat belt (forward extending portion) and the inner surface in the vehicle width direction having the rear mounting portion, which serves as the point of action, can be positioned in a straight line along the extension line. This maximizes the shear load input to the rear mounting portion when a forward tensile load is input to the retractor.

In one aspect of the present invention, the center of gravity of the retractor may be located on the extension line in a plan view.

According to the above configuration, the extension portion, the rear mounting portion, and the center of gravity of the retractor can be positioned in an approximately straight line along the extension line, which further suppresses the moment acting on the retractor when a forward tensile load is input to the retractor, and maximizes the shear load input to the rear mounting portion .

This configuration makes it possible to suppress deformation of the retractor's attachment points to the vehicle body, which are spaced apart from each other in the front and rear, during a collision that results in a collision mode in which the seat belt is locked, without increasing mass or cost.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a main part of a side portion of a rear portion of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from outside the vehicle compartment. FIG. 1 is a side view of a main part of a side portion of a rear portion of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the passenger compartment side. 1 , showing the C-pillar in phantom. An enlarged view of area X2 in Figure 1 with the C-pillar removed and the side panel shown in phantom. 2. A cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. Enlarged view of area X3 in FIG. BB arrow cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a reinforcing member fixed to a side panel, viewed from the outside, rear, and below of the vehicle interior; 1A is a diagram showing a conventional mounting structure for a retractor to a vehicle body, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing the mounting structure for a retractor to a vehicle body according to the present embodiment. Both diagrams are explanatory diagrams for explaining the load acting on the retractor when a load is input from the front of the retractor.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
In this embodiment, the rear side of the vehicle is substantially symmetrical, so the following description will be based on the structure of the right side of the rear of the vehicle. In the drawings, arrow F indicates the front of the vehicle, arrow U indicates the top of the vehicle, arrow R indicates the right of the vehicle, arrow L indicates the left of the vehicle, arrow OUT indicates the outside in the vehicle width direction (outside the passenger compartment), and arrow IN indicates the inside in the vehicle width direction (inside the passenger compartment).

The side vehicle body structure of this embodiment is applied to a door hatchback type automobile. Figure 1 is a right side view of the side surface 1 of the rear of the automobile and the main parts of its surrounding area, viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. Figure 2 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of the rear of the vehicle body in the vehicle width direction, viewed from the inside in the vehicle width direction, of the side surface 1 and the main parts of its surrounding area.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the side surface 1 of the rear body of the automobile of this embodiment is equipped with a side panel 2, a wheelhouse 3, a C-pillar reinforcement 4 (abbreviated as "C-pillar reinforcement 4") (see Figure 1), a front inner side brace 5 (see Figure 2), and a rear inner side brace 6 (see the same figure).

The side surface 1 of the rear of the vehicle body extends in the longitudinal and vertical directions, with its rear end joined to the rear pillar 7 and its front end forming the rear edge 8r of the vehicle's rear entrance 8. The upper end of the side surface 1 of the rear of the vehicle body is joined to the rear of the roof side rail 11, and its lower end is joined to the outer end of the rear frame 12 in the vehicle width direction.

In addition, trim (not shown) that forms the side walls of the luggage compartment at the rear of the vehicle is arranged on the inner side of the side panel 2 and wheel house 3 in the vehicle width direction, and a rear fender panel (not shown) that serves as an outer body panel is arranged on the outer side of the side panel 2 and wheel house 3 in the vehicle width direction.

The rear pillar 7 extends vertically behind the side surface 1. Specifically, the rear pillar 7 is a skeletal member having a closed cross section 7s extending in the extension direction, and extends inclined forward as it rises along the side of the rear gate opening 13 (see Figure 2).

The roof side rails 11 are skeletal members that extend along the vehicle's longitudinal direction on both sides of the roof and have a closed cross section 11s extending in the extension direction. As shown in Figure 2, the upper edge of the rear gate opening 13 at the rear of the vehicle body is provided with a rear header 14 that extends in the vehicle width direction along the upper edge (rear edge of the roof). The rear header 14 is also a skeletal member that has a closed cross section 14s extending in the extension direction.

The upper two sides of the rear of the vehicle body form corner portions C that are connected to the upper ends of the rear pillars 7, the rear ends of the roof side rails 11, and the outer ends of the rear headers 14 in the vehicle width direction.

As shown in Figure 2, the lower rear portion of the vehicle body is provided with a rear seat pan 15 on which a rear seat (not shown) is installed and a rear floor panel 16 that forms a luggage compartment, and rear frames 12 that extend in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle are provided on both sides of the rear seat pan 15 and rear floor panel 16. A cross member 17 that extends in the vehicle width direction is provided at the boundary between the rear seat pan 15 and the rear floor panel 16. The rear frame 12 defines a closed cross section 12s inside that extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

As shown in Figure 2, the rear frame 12 extends from the rear end of the rear floor panel 16 on the passenger compartment side of the wheel house 3, past the wheel house 3, toward the front of the vehicle, and its front end is connected to the rear of the side sill inner 18 (not shown).

A damper mounting portion 19 is provided at the midpoint of the rear frame 12 in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction (a position corresponding to the rear suspension, not shown) to mount and support the upper end of a rear suspension damper, not shown.

A reinforcing member 20 is provided on the upper part of the rear frame 12 to reinforce the area around the damper mounting portion 19. The reinforcing member 20 is formed from aluminum die-casting or the like, and is provided to straddle the upper part of the rear frame 12 and the wheelhouse 3, covering the area around the damper mounting portion 19 from above.

The side panel 2 is formed as a plate extending in the longitudinal and vertical directions at the upper part of the side surface 1 at the rear of the vehicle body, with its rear end joined to the rear pillar 7 and its front end forming the upper part of the rear edge 8r of the vehicle's rear entrance 8. The lower end of the side panel 2 is connected to the upper end of the wheelhouse 3.

A quarter window opening 21 is formed in the upper front portion of the side panel 2. The upper edge of the quarter window opening 21 is formed by the rear portion of the roof side rail 11, and the front edge is formed by the C-pillar upper inner rail 9.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the wheelhouse 3 is located below the side panel 2 on the side surface 1 of the rear of the vehicle body. The wheelhouse 3 includes an inner wheelhouse 31 (see Figure 2) that protrudes inward in the vehicle width direction (toward the passenger compartment) to accommodate a rear wheel (not shown) from above, and an outer wheelhouse 32 (see Figure 1) that protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction (outside the passenger compartment).

As shown in Figure 1, the wheelhouse outer 32 has an arch-shaped portion 33 at its lower part that protrudes upward when viewed from the side of the vehicle, and an upward protrusion 34 at its upper part that protrudes upward from a portion near the rear of the arch-shaped portion 33; these two are formed integrally.

The arch-shaped portion 33 projects outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the upper protrusion 34, and a step 33a extending in the vehicle width direction is formed along the arch shape at the upper edge of the arch-shaped portion 33.

As shown in Figure 2, the wheelhouse inner 31 is formed in a shape in side view that is substantially the same as the wheelhouse outer 32, which has an arch-shaped portion 33 and an upward protrusion 34, but it is formed to smoothly protrude toward the passenger compartment without having a step 33a at the boundary between the arch-shaped portion 33 and the upward protrusion 34.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the wheelhouse inner 31 and the wheelhouse outer 32 have flanges 31a and 32a formed on their respective upper edges. The side panel 2 is joined to the wheelhouse 3 so that its lower end 2e (see Figure 4) is sandwiched between the flanges 31a and 32a of the wheelhouse inner 31 and the wheelhouse outer 32, respectively.

As shown in Figure 1, the C-pillar rain 4 is a skeletal member located on the outer side of the side panel 2 in the vehicle width direction, and extends upward from a step 33a slightly forward of the apex of the arch-shaped portion 33 of the wheelhouse outer 32.

As shown in Figures 1 and 7, the upper part of the C-pillar rain beam 4 extends vertically along the upper part of the rear edge 8r of the vehicle's rear entrance 8 and the front edge of the quarter window opening 21. As shown in Figure 7, the C-pillar rain beam 4 has a hat-like shape in horizontal cross section (cross section perpendicular to the extension direction) that opens inward in the vehicle width direction.

Specifically, as shown in Figures 3 and 7, the C-pillar rain 4 has a rear flange 4c that protrudes rearward along the rear edge of the rear wall 4b, and a front flange 4e that protrudes forward along the front edge of the front wall 4d, and these rear flanges 4c and front flanges 4e are joined to the outer surface 2a of the side panel 2. As a result, the C-pillar rain 4 cooperates with the side panel 2 to form a closed cross section 4s therebetween.

As shown in Figure 1, the upper portion of the C-pillar rain 4 is joined from below to the rear portion of the roof side rail 11, while the lower portion is connected to the rear portion of the side sill inner 18 via a gusset 22 provided along the front portion of the arch-shaped step 33a (upper edge portion).

As shown in Figure 2, the front inner side brace 5 and rear inner side brace 6 are both provided on the passenger compartment side of the side panel 2 and wheelhouse inner 31. The front inner side brace 5 extends upward from a position near the front of the damper mounting portion 19, which serves as a rear suspension mounting portion, on the passenger compartment side of the rear of the vehicle, while the rear inner side brace 6 extends upward from a position near the rear of the damper mounting portion 19, with their lower portions reinforced by reinforcing members 20.

The front and rear inner side braces 5, 6 each extend upward from the reinforcing member 20 (described below) across the wheelhouse inner 31 to the side panel 2, and are formed in a hat shape that opens to the outside of the vehicle compartment, cooperating with the wheelhouse inner 31 and the side panel 2 to form closed cross sections 5s, 6s between them.

The front and rear inner side braces 5, 6 protrude inward in the vehicle width direction relative to the inner surface 2b of the side panel 2, and the inner surfaces 5a, 6a in the vehicle width direction are spaced further inward in the vehicle width direction than the inner surface of the side panel 2 and form surfaces that extend in the vertical and longitudinal directions.

The upper portion of the front inner side brace 5 extends at an angle forward to a point corresponding to the C-pillar reinforcing bar 4 (see Figure 1) located on the outer side of the side panel 2 in the vehicle width direction when viewed from the side of the vehicle. The upper end of the rear inner side brace 6 is joined to the upper portion of the rear pillar 7, specifically to the corner C connecting the outer end of the rear header 14 in the vehicle width direction and the upper end of the rear pillar 7.

As shown in Figure 3, a reinforcing member 50 that reinforces the side panel 2 is attached to the outside in the vehicle width direction. This reinforcing member 50 will be described later.

As shown in Figure 2, a striker 25 is disposed on the side surface 1 of the rear of the vehicle body from the passenger compartment side. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the striker 25 is a member for locking the seat back (not shown) of the rear seat (not shown) in an upright position, and includes a base portion 26 and a main body portion 27 (see Figure 6) that is erected in a generally U-shape and protrudes from the base portion 26 toward the passenger compartment side.

The base 26 has a hat-shaped cross section in the vertical direction that opens toward the outside of the vehicle cabin. It is integrally formed with a gate-shaped base main body 26a that also opens toward the outside of the vehicle cabin, a front flange 26b that protrudes forward from the front end of the base main body 26a, and a rear flange 26c that protrudes rearward from the rear end of the base main body 26a.

As shown in Figures 1 and 6, the striker 25 is located on the side surface 1 of the rear of the vehicle body, forward and below the retractor 42 (described below), in other words, slightly above the upper end of the front inner side brace 5, with the front and rear flanges 26b, 26c of the base portion 26 attached from the passenger compartment side to the side panel 2 and to a reinforcing member 50 (see Figure 6) provided on the outer side of the side panel 2 in the vehicle width direction.

Specifically, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, bolt insertion holes h1b and h1c, through which bolts B1a and B1b can be inserted, are formed through the front and rear flanges 26b and 26c of the base portion 26 of the striker 25.

On the other hand, as shown in Figures 3 and 7, bolt insertion holes H1b', H1c' are formed in the side panel 2 at the rear of the vehicle body in areas corresponding to the bolt insertion holes h1b, h1c in the front and rear flanges 26b, 26c of the striker 25 in a side view of the vehicle, penetrating in the vehicle width direction (plate thickness direction).

Furthermore, bolt insertion holes H1b, H1c are formed in the vehicle rear reinforcement member 50 in the locations corresponding to the bolt insertion holes h1b, h1c in the front and rear flanges 26b, 26c of the striker 25 in a side view of the vehicle, penetrating the vehicle width direction (plate thickness direction).

Furthermore, a weld nut N1a serving as a front striker mounting portion is welded from the outside in the vehicle width direction to the periphery of the front bolt insertion hole H1b of the reinforcing member 50. Then, a bolt B1a is inserted from the inside in the vehicle width direction into the bolt insertion holes h1b, H1b', H1b of the front flange 26b of the striker 25, the side panel 2, and the reinforcing member 50, respectively, and fastened to the weld nut N1a.

Similarly, a weld nut N1b serving as a rear striker mounting portion is welded from the outside in the vehicle width direction to the periphery of the rear bolt insertion hole H1c of the reinforcing member 50. A bolt B1b is then inserted from the inside in the vehicle width direction into the bolt insertion holes h1c, H1c', H1c of the rear flange 26c of the striker 25, the side panel 2, and the reinforcing member 50, respectively, and fastened to the weld nut N1b.

That is, the base portion 26, side panel 2, and reinforcing member 50 are fastened together by bolt B1a and weld nut N1a at the front flange 26b, and by bolt B1b and weld nut N1b at the rear flange 26c.

As shown in FIG. 2, the rear seat (not shown) is equipped with a rear seat seatbelt device 40. The rear seat seatbelt device 40 includes a long seatbelt 41 that restrains an occupant seated in the rear seat, and a retractor 42 that retracts the rear seat seatbelt 41 so that it can be withdrawn.

As shown in FIG. 4, the retractor 42 is attached to the side surface 1 of the rear of the vehicle body from the inside in the vehicle width direction via a plurality of brackets 43, 44 at a plurality of retractor attachment positions Pa, Pb, Pc spaced apart in the front-rear direction.
In this example, as shown in Figure 4, the retractor mounting positions Pa, Pb, and Pc include three: a front retractor mounting position Pa located forward of the position of the center of gravity G of the retractor 42 (see Figure 5); an intermediate retractor mounting position Pb that approximately coincides with the position of the center of gravity G of the retractor 42 in the front-to-rear direction; and a rear retractor mounting position Pc located rearward of the position of the center of gravity G of the retractor 42.

As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the brackets 43, 44 primarily consist of two parts: a front bracket 43 and a rear bracket 44. The rear bracket 44 has a flat, plate-shaped main body 44a that extends substantially horizontally so as to cover substantially the entire retractor 42 from above. The retractor 42 is attached and supported from above at the center of the main body 44a in a plan view via bolts B2 (see Figures 4 and 5) that extend vertically.

As shown in Figures 6 and 8, a guide member 45 having a guide portion 45a that guides the seat belt 41 extending forward from the retractor 42 is provided in front of the retractor 42. This guide member 45 is positioned facing the retractor 42 from the front, and its upper end is attached to the front end of the rear bracket 44.

As shown in Figures 4 to 6, in this embodiment, the portion 41a of the seat belt 41 extending forward from the retractor 42 refers to the portion 41a of the seat belt 41 extending forward from the guide portion 45a. Hereinafter, the portion 41a of the seat belt 41 extending forward from the retractor 42 will be abbreviated as the belt forward extension portion 41a.

As shown in Figure 5, the seat belt 41 is formed in a strip shape with a predetermined length (width) perpendicular to the extension direction, and the belt forward extension portion 41a extends forward so as to have a width in the vehicle width direction.

As shown in Figure 5, the retractor 42 is attached in a cantilevered manner to the side surface 1 at the rear of the vehicle body from the passenger compartment side so that the front side is slightly inward in the vehicle width direction and the rear side is slightly outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the vehicle's longitudinal direction. As a result, the belt forward extension portion 41a extends at a slight incline in plan view relative to the direction coinciding with the front of the vehicle, so that the forward extension is positioned more inward in the vehicle width direction.

As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the rear bracket 44 has a front flange 44b formed at the front end of the main body 44a and at the outer width edge of the vehicle, and a rear flange 44c formed at the rear end of the main body 44a and at the outer width edge of the vehicle.

The rear flange 44c of the rear bracket 44 is bent so as to protrude downward from the outer edge of the main body 44a in the vehicle width direction, and is attached to the rear retractor mounting position Pc on the inner surface 6a in the vehicle width direction of the rear inner side brace 6.

Specifically, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, a bolt insertion hole 144c is formed through the rear flange 44c of the rear bracket 44, through which a bolt Bc serving as the rear vehicle body mounting portion can be inserted.

On the other hand, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, a bolt insertion hole 6c is formed in the vehicle width direction (plate thickness direction) on the inner surface 6a of the rear inner side brace 6 at a location corresponding to the bolt insertion hole 144c in a side view of the vehicle (i.e., the rear retractor mounting position Pc), and a weld nut Nc serving as a rear retractor mounting portion is welded to the periphery of the bolt insertion hole 6c from the outer side in the vehicle width direction (inside the closed cross section 6s of the rear inner side brace 6).

The bolts Bc serving as the rear vehicle body mounting portions are inserted from the inside of the vehicle width direction into the bolt insertion holes 144c, 6c in the rear flange 44c of the rear bracket 44 and the vehicle width directional inner surface 6a of the rear inner side brace 6, respectively, and fastened to the weld nuts Nc. As a result, the rear flange 44c of the rear bracket 44 is attached to the vehicle width directional inner surface 6a of the rear inner side brace 6 by the rear mounting portions (rear vehicle body mounting portion (Bc) and rear retractor mounting portion (Nc)).

That is, at the rear retractor mounting position Pc, the retractor 42 is attached via the rear bracket 44 to the inner surface 6a of the rear inner side brace 6, which protrudes inward in the vehicle width direction relative to the side panel 2.

As a result, as shown in Figure 5, when a forward load Ff is input to the retractor 42, the shear load component fr of the load applied to the rear mounting portions (Bc, Nc) is increased.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the inner surface 6a of the rear inner side brace 6 in the vehicle width direction is positioned on an extension line Le that extends linearly from the belt forward extension portion 41a (more specifically, the outer end 41o of the belt forward extension portion 41a in the vehicle width direction) to the rear in the longitudinal direction of the seat belt 41 when viewed from above the vehicle.
In this embodiment, the inner surface 6a in the vehicle width direction is formed so as to extend parallel to the extension line Le in a plan view of the vehicle (see FIG. 5).

In this embodiment, the inner surface 6a in the vehicle width direction is spaced inward in the vehicle width direction relative to the side panel 2 to achieve this arrangement, which further increases the shear load component ff applied to the rear mounting portion (Bc, N) when a front load Ff is input to the retractor 42.

Furthermore, the position of the center of gravity G of the retractor 42 is located on or near the extension line Le of the belt forward extension portion 41a in a plan view (see Figure 5). In other words, it is preferable that the widthwise outer end 41o of the belt forward extension portion 41a, the position of the center of gravity G of the retractor 42, and the vehicle widthwise inner surface 6a are located in a substantially straight line along the extension line Le.

As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the front flange 44b of the rear bracket 44 described above is integrally formed with a horizontal protrusion 441c (see Figure 5) that protrudes horizontally outward in the vehicle width direction from the outer edge of the main body 44a, and a downward protrusion 442c (see Figures 4 and 6) that protrudes downward from the outer edge of the horizontal protrusion 441c in the vehicle width direction. As shown in Figure 5, the horizontal protrusion 441c protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction from the outer edge of the main body 44a by a length that is approximately equivalent to the length of protrusion of the rear inner side brace 6 in the vehicle width direction relative to the side panel 2.

The front bracket 43 described above extends in the fore-and-aft direction, and its midpoint in the fore-and-aft direction is joined to the front flange 44b of the rear bracket 44 by spot welding or the like (see welded location s1 in Figures 4 and 5). Note that the "x" marks in the figures indicate spot welding points. As a result, the front bracket 43 and the rear bracket 44 are attached and fixed together as a single unit.

The front bracket 43 has a forward extension portion 143 (see Figures 4 and 6) that extends forward from its midpoint in the fore-and-aft direction, and a rearward extension portion 144 (see Figures 4 and 5) that extends rearward.

As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the front end side of the forward extension 143 extends forward to the front retractor mounting position Pa on the side surface 1 of the rear of the vehicle body of the retractor 42, and as shown in Figure 6, a bolt insertion hole 143a is formed therethrough into which a bolt Ba serving as the front vehicle body mounting portion can be inserted.

Here, as shown in Figure 3, the front retractor mounting position Pa is located rearward of the C-pillar rain 4 (node 52) and the rear striker mounting portion (N1b) on the side panel 2 on the side surface 1 of the rear of the vehicle body.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, the front retractor mounting position Pa is located below the lower end of the retractor 42, and as shown in FIG. 3, it is located above the node portion 52 and the vibration damping joint portion 53 (specifically, slightly above the striker mounting portions (N1a, N1b)).

Meanwhile, a reinforcing member 50 is provided from the outside of the vehicle cabin at and around the front retractor mounting position Pa on the side panel 2. As will be described later, the front end of the forward extension 143 is attached to the reinforcing member 50 and the side panel 2 at the front retractor mounting position Pa (see Figures 4 and 6).

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the rear end side of the rearward extending portion 144 of the front bracket 43 extends rearward to the intermediate retractor mounting position Pb on the side surface 1 of the rear part of the vehicle body of the retractor 42, and is formed with a bolt insertion hole 144b (see Figure 4) through which a bolt Bb serving as an intermediate vehicle body mounting portion can be inserted.

As shown in Figure 4, a bolt insertion hole 2d is formed in the side panel 2 in the width direction of the vehicle at a portion corresponding to the intermediate retractor mounting position Pb, and a weld nut Nb serving as an intermediate retractor mounting portion is welded to the periphery of the bolt insertion hole 2d from the outside in the width direction of the vehicle.

The bolt Bb serving as the intermediate vehicle body mounting portion is inserted from the inside in the vehicle width direction into the bolt insertion holes 144b, 2c in the rear end side of the rear extension 144 of the front bracket 43 and the side panel 2, respectively, and fastened to the weld nut Nb. As a result, the rear end side of the rear extension 144 of the front bracket 43 is attached to the side panel 2 by the intermediate mounting portions (intermediate vehicle body mounting portion (Bb) and intermediate retractor mounting portion (Nb)).

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the reinforcing member 50 is attached and fixed at multiple locations by spot welding or the like from the outer surface (outer surface in the vehicle width direction) of the side panel 2, spanning the area of the side panel 2 corresponding to the C-pillar rain 4 (closed cross section 4s) and the area rearward of the C-pillar rain 4 in a side view of the vehicle (see the x marks in Figure 4).

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the rear flange 4c of the C-pillar rain 4 extends vertically from the outer side in the vehicle width direction relative to the reinforcing member 50, crossing the reinforcing member 50 extending in the fore-aft direction. The reinforcing member 50 is spot-welded to the rear flange 4c of the C-pillar rain 4 and the side panel 2 at the overlapping portion with the rear flange 4c that crosses the reinforcing member 50 in the vertical direction, sandwiching the reinforcing member 50 from both sides in the vehicle width direction.

As shown in Figures 3 and 9, the reinforcing member 50 includes a base 55, a rearward extension 56 extending rearward from the rear end of the base 55, a front downward extension 57 extending downward from the front lower edge of the base 55, and a rear downward extension 58 extending downward from the rear lower edge of the base 55.

The rearward extending portion 56 of the reinforcing member 50 extends rearward from the base portion 55 to the front retractor mounting position Pa, and a bolt insertion hole 50c is formed in the rear end portion of the rearward extending portion 56 (front retractor mounting position Pa) in the vehicle width direction (plate thickness direction).

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 7, a weld nut Na serving as a retractor front mounting portion is welded to the periphery of the bolt insertion hole 50c of the rearward extending portion 56 from the outer side in the vehicle width direction.
At the front retractor mounting position Pa in the side panel 2, a bolt insertion hole 2c is formed extending in the vehicle width direction (plate thickness direction) (see FIG. 7).

As shown in Figures 3, 4, 6, and 7, at the front retractor mounting position Pa, bolts Ba serving as front vehicle body mounting portions are inserted from the inside in the vehicle width direction into the bolt insertion holes 143a, 2c, and 50c of the forward extension 143 of the front bracket 43, the side panel 2, and the reinforcing member 50, respectively, and fastened to weld nuts Na. As a result, the front end portion of the forward extension 143 of the front bracket 43 is attached to the side panel 2 and reinforcing member 50 by the front mounting portions (front vehicle body mounting portion (Ba) and front retractor mounting portion (Na)).

That is, at the front retractor mounting position Pa, the retractor 42 is attached to the side panel 2 and the reinforcing member 50 via the rear bracket 44 and the front bracket 43.

As shown in Figures 3 and 7, two weld nuts N1a and N1b serving as striker attachment portions are fixed to the reinforcing member 50, spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction. Specifically, of the two striker attachment portions (N1a and N1b), the front striker attachment portion (N1a) (front striker attachment portion (N1a)) is fixed to the front portion of the base 55 of the reinforcing member 50, and the rear striker attachment portion (N1b) (rear striker attachment portion (N1b)) is fixed to the front portion of the rear extension 56. This allows the reinforcing member 50 to also function as a striker reinforcing member (striker rein) that reinforces the attachment portion of the striker 25 to the side panel 2.

For example, if inertia during a collision causes luggage (not shown) loaded in the luggage compartment to move forward relative to the vehicle body and collide with the rear seat (not shown) from behind, a load that pushes the luggage (not shown) outward in the vehicle width direction is input to the front and rear striker mounting portions (N1a, N1b). In response to this, because the reinforcing member 50 is equipped with the nodes 52, even if the above-mentioned load is input from the front and rear striker mounting portions (N1a, N1b), the nodes 52 of the reinforcing member 50 brace within the closed cross section 4s, allowing the load to be firmly absorbed.

Furthermore, the base portion 26 of the striker 25 is attached to the reinforcing member 50 via bolts B1a and B1b, spanning the front striker attachment portion (N1a) located within the closed cross section 4s of the C-pillar rain 4 in a side view of the vehicle, and the rear striker attachment portion (N1b) located rearward of the C-pillar rain 4. This allows the reinforcing member 50 to have even higher rigidity in the area extending rearward of the C-pillar rain 4. In other words, the base portion 26 of the striker 25 also functions as a high-rigidity portion that can suppress deformation of the reinforcing member 50 such that the front retractor attachment portion (Na) moves outward in the vehicle width direction during a collision in a collision mode that locks the seat belt 41.

As shown in FIG. 3 , an upper edge flange 61 is formed on the upper edge of the reinforcing member 50 (spanning the rearward extending portion 56 and the base portion 55), extending along the upper edge and protruding outward in the vehicle width direction. A lower edge flange 62 is formed on the lower edge of the rearward extending portion 56 of the reinforcing member 50, extending along the lower edge and protruding outward in the vehicle width direction.

The upper edge flange 61 and lower edge flange 62 both extend in the longitudinal direction between the front retractor mounting position Pa and the node portion 52 located rearward of the front retractor mounting position Pa. As a result, the upper edge flange 61 and lower edge flange 62 also function as high-rigidity portions that can suppress deformation of the reinforcing member 50 such that the front retractor mounting portion (Na) moves outward in the vehicle width direction during a collision in which the seat belt 41 is locked.

As shown in Figures 3 and 7 to 9, the front downward extension 57 includes a vibration-damping joint 53 and a node 52 that is bent outward in the vehicle width direction from the lower end of the vibration-damping joint 53. A step 59 is formed at the boundary between the vibration-damping joint 53 and the front portion of the base 55. The vibration-damping joint 53 is offset outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the base 55 via the step 59.

As a result, as shown in Figure 8, when the reinforcing member 50 is attached to the side panel 2, a small gap 53s is formed between the vibration-damping joint 53 and the outer surface 2a of the side panel 2. In other words, the vibration-damping joint 53 is joined to the side panel 2 via the vibration-damping member 63 (see Figures 4 and 8) provided in the gap 53s.

The vibration-damping joint 53 is formed as a flat plate overall, with beads 64 provided on each side, separated by a midpoint in the fore-and-aft direction when viewed from the side of the vehicle. Each of these pair of beads 64 protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the surrounding area and extends in the fore-and-aft direction, allowing the vibration-damping member 63 to engage.

The pair of beads 64 also function as high-rigidity portions that can suppress deformation of the reinforcing member 50 that would cause the front retractor mounting portion (Na) to move outward in the vehicle width direction during a collision in a collision mode that locks the seat belt 41.

As shown in Figure 8, beads 65 are also provided at each location on the side panel 2 that faces the pair of beads 64 provided at the vibration-damping joint 53 on the inside in the vehicle width direction. Like the pair of beads 64 provided at the vibration-damping joint 53, these pairs of beads 65 protrude outward in the vehicle width direction from the surrounding area and extend in the front-to-rear direction so that the vibration-damping member 63 can engage with them.

The vibration damping member 63 is preferably made of a thermosetting resin. In this embodiment, the vibration damping member 63 is made of a thermosetting resin, which is applied as an adhesive to the vibration damping joint 53 and the side panel 2 in the gap 53s before the paint drying process during vehicle body manufacturing. By simultaneously thermosetting the adhesive during the paint drying process, the vibration damping member 63 can be integrated with the vibration damping joint 53 and the side panel 2 while still positioned in the gap 53s.

As described above, the vibration damping member 63 is applied so that it penetrates into the bead 64 provided on the vibration damping joint 53 before the paint drying process during vehicle body manufacturing. This causes the vibration damping member 63 to engage with the beads 64, 65 provided on the vibration damping joint 53 and the side panel 2, respectively. This allows the vibration damping member 63 to remain in place from the time the vibration damping member 63 is applied until the paint drying process is performed (when the vibration damping member 63 is thermally cured), and also during the paint drying process, preventing the vibration damping member 63 from falling out of the gap 53s.

The rest of the reinforcing member 50, other than the node 52, is formed from a vertical wall-shaped flat plate that is joined to the outer surface 2a of the side panel 2. The node 52 is located at the front lower end of the reinforcing member 50 (located below the vibration-damping joint 53) and is integrally formed so as to be approximately horizontal by bending the rest of the vertical wall-shaped portion other than the node 52 outward in the vehicle width direction at a substantially right angle.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the node portion 52 is formed in a generally horizontal plane having substantially the same shape and size as the orthogonal cross section of the closed cross section 4s of the C-pillar rain 4 in the vertical direction, and divides the closed cross section 4s of the C-pillar rain 4 into upper and lower sections. As shown in Figures 3 and 9, the node portion 52 is formed with flanges 52a, 52b, and 52c protruding downward from the leading edge, trailing edge, and outer edge in the vehicle width direction, respectively.

The flange portion (leading edge flange 52a) protruding from the leading edge of node portion 52 is joined to the front wall 4d of the C-pillar rain 4, the flange portion (trailing edge flange 52b) protruding from the trailing edge of node portion 52 is joined to the rear wall 4b of the C-pillar rain 4, and the flange portion (vehicle width outer edge flange 52c) protruding from the vehicle width outer edge of node portion 52 is joined to the vehicle width outer wall 4a of the C-pillar rain 4, each by spot welding (see the welding points indicated by "x" in Figure 3).

As described above, the reinforcing member 50 comprises the retractor front mounting portion (Na), the node portion 52, the vibration damping joint portion 53, and the striker mounting portions (N1a, N1b) (see Figure 3), and is formed primarily from a single plate material (one piece of metal plate material) that extends continuously across the retractor front mounting portion 51, the node portion 52, the vibration damping joint portion 53, and the striker mounting portions (N1a, N1b) (see Figure 9).

The vehicle side body structure of the present embodiment described above comprises a side panel 2 constituting the side surface 1 of the vehicle, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, and a rear seat seat belt device 40 having a retractor 42 attached from the passenger compartment side at multiple attachment points spaced apart in the fore-and-aft direction on the side surface 1, as shown in Figures 2 and 4 to 6, and a seat belt 41 extending from the retractor 42 toward the front of the vehicle. As shown in Figures 4 to 7, the attachment points are located at front attachment points (Ba, Na) (see Figures 4, 6, and 7) located forward of the center of gravity G of the retractor 42 (see Figure 5), and a rear attachment point (Ba, Na) (see Figures 4, 6, and 7) located forward of the center of gravity G. As shown in Figures 2, 4 to 6, the side surface 1 has a rear inner side brace 6 as an inner protruding part that protrudes more inward in the vehicle width direction than the side panel 2 and has an inner surface 6a in the vehicle width direction that extends in the up-down and front-to-rear directions. As shown in Figures 2, 6 and 7, the front mounting parts (Ba, Na) are fixed to the side panel 2, and as shown in Figures 2, 4 and 6, the rear mounting parts (Bc, Nc) are fixed to the inner surface 6a in the vehicle width direction.

This configuration makes it possible to suppress deformation of the attachment portions (Ba, Na), (Bc, Nc) of the retractor 42, which are spaced apart from one another in the front and rear, attached to the side surface 1 of the vehicle rear, in the event of a collision in which the seat belt 41 is locked, without increasing mass or cost.

More specifically, the attachment portion of the retractor 42 to the side surface 1 at the rear of the vehicle is generally less susceptible to deformation due to a load in the shear direction than to a load in the peel direction.

On the other hand, in a configuration such as this embodiment in which the retractor 42, which is a heavy object, is cantilevered toward the inside of the vehicle's side surface 1 in the vehicle width direction, as shown in Figure 5, when a front load Ff is input to the retractor 42, a clockwise moment M acts on the retractor 42 in a plan view.

Figures 10(a) and 10(b) are plan views schematically showing the mounting structure of retractors 42', 42 to vehicle sides 1', 1. Figure 10(a) shows the mounting structure of a conventional retractor 42', and Figure 10(b) shows the mounting structure of the retractor 42 of this embodiment to vehicle sides 1', 1. Note that in both Figures 10(a) and 10(b), to simplify the configuration, the retractors 42', 42 are attached to the vehicle body using two mounting parts: a front mounting part located forward of the center of gravity G, and a rear mounting part located rearward.

In a configuration in which both the front mounting portions (Ba', Na') and rear mounting portions (Bc', Nc') are attached to the side panel 2, as in the conventional mounting structure of a retractor 42' shown in Figure 10(a), when a front load Ff is input to the retractor 42', the moment M described above acts on the retractor 42', causing a load (a load toward the inside in the vehicle width direction) to act actively on the rear mounting portions (Bc', Nc') in a direction that causes them to peel away from the side surface 1'.

In contrast, by offsetting (displacing) the rear mounting portions (Bc, Nc) more inward in the vehicle width direction than the front mounting portions (Ba, Na) as in the mounting structure of the retractor 42 of this embodiment shown in Figure 10(b), when a front load Ff is input to the retractor 42, the load acting on the rear mounting portions (Bc, Nc) in the peeling direction toward the vehicle compartment due to the moment M acting on the retractor 42 as described above is reduced, while the shear load component fr (forward tensile load component) can be increased. Therefore, deformation of the rear mounting portions (Bc, Nc) can be suppressed.

On the other hand, when a front load Ff is input to the retractor 42, a load ff acts on the front mounting portions (Ba, Na) outward in the vehicle width direction, as shown in FIG. 10(b). In other words, a load ff acts on the front mounting portions (Ba, Na) that deforms the side panel 2 outward in the vehicle width direction. However, as described above, by suppressing the deformation of the rear mounting portions (Bc, Nc) in the peeling direction, the outward load ff acting on the front mounting portions (Ba, Na) in the vehicle width direction can also be reduced compared to the conventional outward load ff' acting on the front mounting portions (Ba', Na'). In other words, this embodiment can suppress deformation of the front mounting portions (Ba, Na) that pushes them outward in the vehicle width direction compared to the conventional embodiment, thereby suppressing deformation of the front mounting portions (Ba, Na) and rear mounting portions (Bc, Nc) of the retractor 42 to the vehicle side surface 1.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the load fr' in the peeling direction (inward in the vehicle width direction) acting on the rear mounting portions (Bc, Nc) of the retractor 42 can be reduced simply by fixing the rear mounting portions (Bc, Nc) to the side surface 1 of the rear vehicle body so that they are positioned more inward in the vehicle width direction than the front mounting portions (Ba, Na). Therefore, there is no need to reinforce the rear mounting portions (Bc, Nc) and their surroundings in order to withstand the load fr' in the peeling direction acting on the rear mounting portions (Bc, Nc), as was conventionally done, by increasing the number of rear mounting portions (Bc, Nc) or by increasing the thickness of the reinforcing member 50 located at or near the rear mounting portions (Bc, Nc).

This embodiment therefore suppresses deformation of the attachment portions spaced apart at the front and rear during a collision that results in a collision mode in which the seat belt 41 is locked, without increasing mass or cost compared to conventional systems.

As shown in Figure 2, in one embodiment of the present invention, the rear inner side brace 6 is a framework member that vertically connects the rear frame 12, which forms a closed cross section 12s extending in the fore-and-aft direction below the side panel 2, and the rear pillar 7, which forms a closed cross section 7s extending in the fore-and-aft direction above the side panel 2.

With this configuration, in the event of a collision, the rear inner side brace 6 can support the impact load input from the retractor 42 to the side surface 1 due to the forward tensile load input from the seat belt 41 to the retractor 42.

Furthermore, even in a configuration in which the retractor 42 is mounted in a cantilevered manner offset inward in the vehicle width direction relative to the side surface 1 at the rear of the vehicle, the rear inner side brace 6 can suppress vibration of the retractor 42 while the vehicle is moving.

Furthermore, by using the rear inner side brace 6 provided on the side surface 1 at the rear of the vehicle as the inner protrusion, deformation of the mounting portion of the retractor 42 relative to the side surface 1 can be suppressed, thereby further reducing mass and costs.

As shown in Figure 2, in one embodiment of the present invention, the upper end of the rear inner side brace 6 is fixed to a corner C that connects the outer end of the rear header 14, which extends in the vehicle width direction along the rear edge of the vehicle roof, to the upper end of the rear pillar 7.

With this configuration, when a forward tensile load is input from the seat belt 41 to the retractor 42 during a collision, the impact load (forward shear load) applied to the rear inner side brace 6 from the retractor 42 can be dispersed and transmitted from the rear inner side brace 6 to the rear header 14 and rear pillar 7. Furthermore, because the rear inner side brace 6 can suppress deformation of the corner portion C, the rigidity of the rear of the vehicle body can be increased.

As shown in Figure 5, in one embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle widthwise inner surface 6a is located on an extension line Le that extends rearward in the longitudinal direction of the seat belt 41 from the forward belt extension portion 41a, which extends forward relative to the retractor 42, of the seat belt 41 in a plan view of the vehicle.

With this configuration, the load input point (force point) of the retractor 42, where a forward tensile load is input from the seat belt 41 (belt forward extension portion 41a), and the vehicle width direction inner surface 6a having the rear mounting portions (Bc, Nc) that serve as the point of action, can be positioned in a straight line along the extension line Le. This maximizes the shear load input to the rear mounting portions (Bc, Nc) when a forward tensile load is input to the retractor 42.

In one aspect of this invention, as shown in Figures 1 and 7, the C-pillar rain 4, which defines the rear edge 8r of the vehicle's rear entrance 8, cooperates with the side panel 2 to form a closed cross section 4s, and the closed cross section 4s is provided with a node 52 that divides the closed cross section 4s in the extension direction of the C-pillar rain 4.As shown in Figure 3, a reinforcing member 50 integrally formed with the node 52 is fixed to the side panel 2, and as shown in Figures 4 and 6, the retractor 42 is attached to the reinforcing member 50 at its front mounting portions (Ba, Na).

With this configuration, deformation of the front mounting portions (Ba, Na) due to the impact load input from the retractor 42, which is caused by the forward tensile load input from the seat belt 41 to the retractor 42 during a collision, can be efficiently suppressed by utilizing the tension of the node portions 52 within the closed cross section. Furthermore, since there is no need to make the reinforcing member 50 itself sturdy by increasing its thickness, an increase in vehicle weight can be suppressed.

The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments, but can be formed in various other embodiments.
For example, the present invention is not limited to a configuration in which the damper mounting portion 19 is provided on the rear frame as in this embodiment, but may also be a configuration in which the damper mounting portion 19 is provided in another location, such as the top of the rear wheel house (arch-shaped portion).

In addition, while the retractor 42 in this embodiment is attached to the side surface 1 in a cantilevered manner from the passenger compartment side via front and rear brackets 43, 44, the retractor of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the number and shape of the brackets are not particularly limited, and the retractor may be attached directly to the side surface 1 without using brackets.

Furthermore, even when the framework member and the reinforcing member are fixed to the cabin side of the side panel, it is possible to simultaneously suppress vertical vibration of the retractor while the vehicle is moving and suppress deformation of the retractor fixing portion during a collision, just as when they are fixed to the exterior side of the cabin.

Therefore, the present invention is not limited to a configuration in which the framework member and the reinforcing member are fixed to the exterior side of the vehicle cabin relative to the side panel, as in the above-described embodiment, but may also be configured so that they are fixed to the interior side.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the retractor 42 is attached to the side surface 1 in a cantilevered manner from the passenger compartment side via front and rear brackets 43, 44, but the retractor of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the number and shape of the brackets are not particularly limited, and the retractor may be attached directly to the side surface 1 without using brackets.

1... Side surface 2... Side panel 4... C-pillar rain 4s... Closed section (C-pillar closed section)
6...Rear inner side brace (framework member)
6a... Vehicle width direction inner surface 7... Rear pillar 7s... Closed cross section (rear pillar closed cross section)
8C... rear boarding/alighting door 8r... rear edge of rear boarding/alighting door 12... rear frame 12s... closed cross section (rear frame closed cross section)
14... rear header 40... rear seat seat belt device 41... seat belt 42... retractor 52... joint portions Ba, Na... front side mounting portion (front side mounting portion, mounting portion)
Bc, Nc... rear mounting portion (rear mounting portion, mounting portion)
C... Corner portion G... Center of gravity 41a of the tractor... Belt forward extension portion (forward extension portion of the seat belt that extends forward relative to the retractor)
Le...extension line

Claims (5)

A side panel that constitutes the side of the vehicle;
A side body structure for a vehicle including a retractor attached from an interior surface of the vehicle compartment at a plurality of attachment portions spaced apart in the front-rear direction on the side surface, and a rear seat seat belt device having a seat belt extending from the retractor toward the front of the vehicle,
The mounting portion has a front mounting portion located forward of the center of gravity of the retractor and a rear mounting portion located rearward of the center of gravity,
The side surface has an inner protruding portion that protrudes inward in the vehicle width direction from the side panel and has an inner surface in the vehicle width direction that extends in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction,
the front mounting portion is fixed to the side panel, and the rear mounting portion is fixed to the inner surface in the vehicle width direction ,
The inner protrusion is a skeletal member that vertically connects a rear frame that forms a rear frame closed cross section extending in the fore-and-aft direction below the side panel, and a rear pillar that forms a rear pillar closed cross section above the side panel . A side panel that constitutes the side of the vehicle;
A side body structure for a vehicle including a retractor attached from an interior surface of the vehicle compartment at a plurality of attachment portions spaced apart in the front-rear direction on the side surface, and a rear seat seat belt device having a seat belt extending from the retractor toward the front of the vehicle,
The mounting portion has a front mounting portion located forward of the center of gravity of the retractor and a rear mounting portion located rearward of the center of gravity,
The side surface has an inner protruding portion that protrudes inward in the vehicle width direction from the side panel and has an inner surface in the vehicle width direction that extends in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction,
the front mounting portion is fixed to the side panel, and the rear mounting portion is fixed to the inner surface in the vehicle width direction ,
a C-pillar defining a rear edge of a vehicle rear entrance cooperates with the side panel to form a C-pillar closed cross section, and a node portion that divides the C-pillar closed cross section in the extending direction of the C-pillar is provided on the C-pillar closed cross section;
a reinforcing member integrally provided with the node portion is fixed to the side panel;
The retractor is attached to the reinforcing member at the front mounting portion . 2. A side body structure of a vehicle as described in claim 1, wherein the upper end of the skeletal member is fixed to a corner portion connecting the outer end of a rear header extending in the vehicle width direction along the rear edge of the roof portion of the vehicle and the upper end of the rear pillar. The inner surface in the vehicle width direction is
4. A side body structure of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the retractor is disposed on an extension line extending rearward in the longitudinal direction of the seat belt from a forward extending portion of the seat belt that extends forward relative to the retractor when viewed from above the vehicle. 5. The vehicle side body structure according to claim 4, wherein the center of gravity of the retractor is disposed on the extension line in a plan view.