JP7737084B2 - Body structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle body structure, and more particularly to a vehicle body structure having a towing hook fixed to a side member extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

It is known to attach a towing hook to a side member extending in the fore-and-aft direction of a vehicle in order to connect the vehicle to another vehicle with a rope for towing, or to secure the vehicle when transporting it on a ship, etc. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a vehicle body structure in which a lashing hook bracket extending below a rear side member is fixed to the rear portion of the rear side member.

JP 2010-120524 A

In the event of a collision in which a force is applied to the vehicle in the longitudinal direction, a structure is sometimes adopted that absorbs the energy of the collision by causing deformation as close to the end of the vehicle as possible, preventing deformation from reaching the interior of the vehicle. However, when the towing hook is fixed to the side member, which is the body frame, as in the vehicle body structure described in Patent Document 1, the rigidity of the towing hook makes it difficult for the end of the side member to deform, which could result in less energy absorption during a collision than desired.

The present invention was made in consideration of these problems, and its purpose is to ensure that, in a vehicle body structure equipped with a towing hook fixed to a side member extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, the vicinity of the end of the side member is easily deformed in the event of a vehicle collision.

To achieve the above-mentioned objective, the vehicle body structure of the present invention comprises a side member extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle; an attachment portion at least at one of the front and rear portions of the side member that sandwiches the side member from both sides in the vehicle width direction and has an upper end fixed to the side member; and a towing hook including a hook portion provided on the attachment portion below the side member and spaced apart from the side member, wherein the attachment portion has an outer bead formed in a portion located outboard of the side member in the vehicle width direction and extending in the vertical direction, and an inner bead formed in a portion located inboard of the side member in the vehicle width direction and extending in the vertical direction, the outer bead and the inner bead being formed in positions offset in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

With this configuration, when a collision occurs in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the outer bead and inner bead collapse sequentially in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, allowing the towing hook to collapse evenly in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. As a result, it is possible to prevent the towing hook from interfering with the deformation of the side member near its end.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the upper and lower ends of the outer bead and the inner bead are open ends that open in the vertical direction, and that the hook portion is formed so that it can be fitted into the outer bead.

This configuration allows the towing hook to be easily crushed in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, starting from the bead, in the event of a longitudinal collision. As a result, the towing hook can be prevented from interfering with deformation near the end of the side member.

It is also preferable that the outer bead is formed at both ends of the mounting portion in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle with a convex shape facing outward in the vehicle width direction, and the inner bead is formed at the center of the mounting portion in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle with a convex shape facing inward in the vehicle width direction.

With this configuration, in the event of a longitudinal collision, the outer bead collapses first, then the inner bead, then the outer bead, allowing the towing hook to collapse evenly in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, because the inner bead is formed in the longitudinal center of the mounting section, stress on the inner bead is minimized when using the towing hook to secure the vehicle during towing or transportation, ensuring the durability of the towing hook.

The above-mentioned vehicle body structure further includes a cab mount bracket that clamps the outer bead from both sides in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and is fixed to the outer bead.

This configuration makes it easier for forces to be applied to the outer bead in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle in the event of a vehicle collision, making it easier to crush the outer bead. Furthermore, by connecting the cab mount bracket to the outer bead, which has high rigidity in the vehicle width direction (left-right direction), the rigidity of the cab mount bracket can be increased. Furthermore, by ensuring a sufficient fixing area, even if a strong force is applied to the fore-and-aft end of the towing hook when using it to secure the vehicle during towing or transportation, the force can be distributed and borne, improving the durability of the towing hook.

It is also preferable that the mounting portion has an outer bracket with an outer bead formed thereon and an inner bracket with an inner bead formed thereon.

This configuration makes it easy to form an outer bead on the outer bracket and an inner bead on the inner bracket.

It is also preferable that the outer bracket has flange portions that protrude inward in the vehicle width direction from both ends in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction and clamp the inner bracket.

This configuration increases the strength of the outer bracket while preventing the flange portion that protrudes in the vehicle width direction from hindering deformation of the outer bracket in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction. Furthermore, by clamping the inner bracket with the flange portion, the inner bracket can be easily positioned and stably supported.

It is also preferable that the inner bracket has a protrusion above the flange portion that protrudes beyond the flange portion in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and is fixed at its upper end to the side member.

This configuration lengthens the fixed area between the inner bracket and the side member, increasing the connection rigidity of the inner bracket. Furthermore, because an inner bead is formed on the inner bracket, the inner bracket remains easily crushable even when a protrusion is provided.

It is also preferable that the inner bead is formed in the center of the inner bracket in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and that the inner bracket has a hole formed in the same position in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle as the inner bead, for inserting a jig for positioning the inner bracket.

With this configuration, the hole is formed in the center of the vehicle in the fore-and-aft direction, just like the inner bead, so that in the event of a non-collision, stress is minimized around the hole, ensuring the durability of the towing hook.

It is also preferable that the side member has a recess formed at the same position in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle as the inner bead.

This configuration makes it easier for the side member and the towing hook to collapse at the same position in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, further ensuring ease of deformation near the end of the side member.

It is also preferable that the towing hook be fixed to the front part of the side member in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

This configuration ensures that the areas near the ends of the side members are easily deformed when a collision occurs at the front of the vehicle, making it difficult for the deformation to reach the front of the vehicle interior, thereby ensuring the safety of passengers in particular in the front seats.

In the vehicle body structure of the present invention, when a vehicle longitudinal collision occurs, the outer bead and inner bead collapse sequentially in the vehicle longitudinal direction, allowing the towing hook to collapse evenly in the vehicle longitudinal direction. As a result, it is possible to prevent the towing hook from hindering deformation near the end of the side member. Therefore, according to the present invention, in a vehicle body structure equipped with a towing hook fixed to a side member extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction, it is possible to ensure ease of deformation near the end of the side member in the event of a vehicle collision.

1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a vehicle body structure according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the vicinity of the towing hook of the side member as viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the vicinity of the towing hook of the side member as viewed from the inside in the vehicle width direction. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the vicinity of the towing hook of the side member as viewed from below. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the vicinity of the towing hook of the side member as viewed from above. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the towing hook as seen from the front side in the vehicle longitudinal direction. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing some of the components of the towing hook.

Below, one embodiment of the present invention is described based on the drawings.

(Body structure)
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a vehicle body structure according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 shows the vicinity of a vehicle front portion of the vehicle body structure 1. FIG. 1 is also a view of the vehicle body structure 1 as viewed obliquely from below and from the outside in the vehicle width direction. In FIG. 1, the left-right direction is the vehicle fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, with the left side being the front side of the vehicle and the right side being the rear side of the vehicle. In FIG. 1, the direction perpendicular to the vehicle fore-and-aft direction is the vehicle width direction. In addition, the direction perpendicular to the vehicle fore-and-aft direction and the vehicle width direction is the up-down direction (vertical direction: see FIGS. 2, 3, 6, and 7).

The vehicle body structure 1 shown in Figure 1 is applied to a vehicle (not shown), such as a pickup truck. As shown, the vehicle body structure 1 comprises a vehicle body frame 10 including a side member 11, and a towing hook 20 and a cab mount bracket 30 attached to the side member 11.

(body frame)
The body frame 10 is the skeleton of the vehicle that supports vehicle components such as the suspension and cabin (driver's compartment, passenger compartment) not shown, and has a pair of side members 11, a front bumper beam 12, and multiple cross members 13.

The pair of side members 11 are frames extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, with one positioned on each side in the vehicle width direction. The side members 11 are frames with a rectangular tubular cross section that connect an inner frame and an outer frame. The side members 11 include an upper surface 11a that faces upward in the vertical direction, a lower surface 11b that faces downward in the vertical direction, an outer surface 11c that faces outward in the vehicle width direction, and an inner surface 11d that faces inward in the vehicle width direction. The side members 11 are provided with a plurality of support brackets 14 for supporting suspensions (not shown) and support brackets 15 for supporting cab mounts (not shown) that are spaced apart from each other in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

The front bumper beam 12 is a frame extending in the vehicle width direction and connected to the front ends of the side members 11. The multiple cross members 13 are also frames extending in the vehicle width direction and connected to both of the pair of side members 11, and are spaced apart in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction. The multiple cross members 13 include, for example, a cross member 13a connected near the support bracket 14 and a cross member 13b connected near the support bracket 15.

(Towing hook)
The towing hook 20 is used when towing a vehicle by connecting it to another vehicle with a fastener such as a rope, or when securing the vehicle by attaching a fastener when transporting it on a ship or the like. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the towing hook 20 is provided on each of the pair of side members 11 at the same position in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle near the front portions, i.e., front end portions 111. In this embodiment, the towing hook 20 extends downward to the bottom of the side members 11 in the up-down direction, and at least a hook portion 22, which will be described later, is exposed to the outside of the vehicle (not shown).

(Cab mount bracket)
The cab mount brackets 30 are members for supporting a cabin (not shown) via a cab mount (not shown), and are provided one on each side member 11 near the front end portions 111 at the same position in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, the cab mount brackets 30 are attached to the side members 11 at the same position as the towing hook 20. Elastic bodies (not shown) included in the cab mount are sandwiched between the cab mount brackets 30 from above and below, and the cab mount brackets 30 support the entire cab mount via the elastic bodies, thereby supporting the cabin.

(Main parts of the vehicle body structure according to the embodiment)
Next, the main parts of the vehicle body structure 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 7. Figure 2 is an explanatory view of the vicinity of the towing hook of the side member as viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction.
Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the vicinity of the towing hook of the side member as viewed from the inside in the vehicle width direction. Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the vicinity of the towing hook of the side member as viewed from below. Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the vicinity of the towing hook of the side member as viewed from above. Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the towing hook as viewed from the front in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing some of the components of the towing hook.

(Configuration of towing hook)
The configuration of the towing hook 20 will be described based on the direction of the towing hook 20 when attached to the side member 11. When the towing hook 20 is attached to the side member 11, its longitudinal direction coincides with the up-down direction, its lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction coincides with the fore-aft direction of the vehicle, and its depth direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction coincides with the vehicle width direction. As shown in Figures 2 to 7 , the towing hook 20 includes a mounting portion 21 and a hook portion 22. The mounting portion 21 further includes an outer bracket 40 and an inner bracket 50.

(Mounting part: outer bracket)
The outer bracket 40 is one of the mounting pieces for mounting the towing hook 20 to the side member 11, and together with the inner bracket 50, constitutes the mounting portion 21 for the towing hook 20 to the side member 11. As shown in Figures 2, 6 and 7, the outer bracket 40 has a base plate portion 41, an outer bead 42 formed on the base plate portion 41, and a flange portion 43 protruding from the base plate portion 41.

The base plate portion 41 is located on the outer side of the side member 11 in the vehicle width direction when the towing hook 20 is attached. It is a flat member extending from the upper end 411 to the lower end 412, excluding the portion where the outer bead 42 is formed. The base plate portion 41 includes a surface 41a (see FIGS. 6 and 7) that abuts against the outer surface 11c of the side member 11 in the attached state, and a surface 41b (see FIG. 2) opposite to surface 41a. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the base plate portion 41 is fixed to the outer surface 11c of the side member 11 by welding, and is formed to a length sufficient to ensure a sufficient weld allowance in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, the base plate portion 41 is formed to a length that protrudes downward from approximately the center of the outer surface 11c of the side member 11 in the vertical direction so that the hook portion 22 is located below the side member 11 in the attached state.

As shown in FIG. 2, the upper end 411 of the substrate portion 41 extends linearly along the vehicle's longitudinal direction. Meanwhile, the lower end 412 of the substrate portion 41 extends toward the upper end 411 from a rear side end 413 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction to approximately the center of the vehicle's longitudinal direction, and extends approximately parallel to the upper end 411 from approximately the center of the vehicle's longitudinal direction to a front side end 414 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. Furthermore, the side end 413 of the substrate portion 41 is formed longer than the side end 414, and extends parallel to the vertical direction from the upper end 411 to the lower end 412, and then extends diagonally toward the side end 414. Meanwhile, the side end 414 extends linearly along the vertical direction from the upper end 411 to the lower end 412.

The outer bead 42 is a bead-machined portion that has a convex shape facing outward in the vehicle width direction. That is, the outer bead 42 is formed so that the surface 41a side of the base plate portion 41 is concave and the surface 41b side is convex. Therefore, the cross section of the outer bead 42 perpendicular to the up-down direction is U-shaped. The outer bead 42 includes an outer bead 42a provided on the side end 413 of the base plate portion 41 and an outer bead 42b provided on the side end 414.

The outer bead 42a has a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and extends vertically along the shape of the side edge 413 from the upper end 411 to the lower end 412. In this embodiment, the upper end 411 of the outer bead 42a has an opening end 421a that opens in the vertical direction, as shown in Figure 7. Similarly, the lower end 412 of the outer bead 42a also has an opening end 422a that opens in the vertical direction.

The outer bead 42b has a predetermined length in the vehicle longitudinal direction and extends vertically along the shape of the side edge 414 from the upper end 411 to the lower end 412. The predetermined lengths in the vehicle longitudinal direction of the outer beads 42a and 42b may be the same or different. In this embodiment, the upper end 411 of the outer bead 42b has an opening end 421b that opens in the vertical direction, as shown in FIG. 7 . Similarly, the lower end 412 of the outer bead 42b has an opening end 422b that opens in the vertical direction. By providing both the upper and lower ends of the outer bead 42, which extends from the upper end 411 to the lower end 412 of the flat base plate 41, with the opening ends 421a, 422a, 421b, and 422b, respectively, the outer bead 42 can be easily formed on the base plate 41.

As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 6, the flange portion 43 is a protruding portion that protrudes inward in the vehicle width direction from the side ends 413, 414 of the base plate portion 41. The flange portion 43 includes a flange portion 43a provided at the side end 413 of the base plate portion 41 and a flange portion 43b provided at the side end 414. Note that nuts 47 are attached to both flange portions 43, as shown in Figure 3.

As shown in Figure 6, the flange portion 43a extends in the vertical direction from approximately the center of the base portion 41 in the vertical direction to the bottom end 412, following the shape of the side end 413. In this way, by having the flange portion 43a extend in the vertical direction following the shape of the side end 413, the surface area supporting the hook portion 22 from below in the vertical direction is increased, as shown in Figure 4, allowing the hook portion 22 to be stably supported.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the flange portion 43b extends in the vertical direction from approximately the center of the base plate portion 41 in the vertical direction to the lower end 412, following the shape of the side end 414. At the upper end of the flange portion 43b, as shown in Figure 7, a support portion 431b is formed that protrudes while bending toward the front in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The support portion 431b is formed to have a length in the vehicle longitudinal direction that is approximately the same as that of the protruding portion 521 of the inner bracket 50, which will be described later, and supports the protruding portion 521 in the attached state, as shown in Figure 3.

2 and 7, the outer bracket 40 has holes 44, 45, and 46 formed in a line in the vertical direction through the surfaces 41a and 41b in the center of the base plate 41 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Hole 44 is a hole for welding to the side member 11, and holes 45 and 46 are holes for inserting a jig when positioning the outer bracket 40.

(Mounting part: inner bracket)
The inner bracket 50 is one of the mounting pieces for mounting the towing hook 20 to the side member 11, and together with the outer bracket 40, constitutes the mounting portion 21 for the towing hook 20 to the side member 11. As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 6, the inner bracket 50 has a base plate portion 51 including a first flat plate portion 52, a second flat plate portion 53, and a third flat plate portion 54, and an inner bead 55.

The base plate portion 51 is a portion that is located on the inside of the side member 11 in the vehicle width direction when the towing hook 20 is installed. The base plate portion 51 includes a surface 51a (see Figure 6) that abuts against the inner surface 11d of the side member 11 when installed, and a surface 51b (see Figure 3) opposite surface 51a. As described above, the base plate portion 51 has a first flat plate portion 52, a second flat plate portion 53, and a third flat plate portion 54.

As shown by the dashed line in Figure 6, the first flat plate portion 52 extends in the vertical direction, including the upper end portion 511. As shown in Figure 3, the first flat plate portion 52 is fixed to the inner surface 11d of the side member 11 by welding, and is formed linearly with a length sufficient to ensure a sufficient weld allowance in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The first flat plate portion 52 also has a protruding portion 521 that protrudes forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction beyond the flange portion 43b of the outer bracket 40 when attached. Note that the protruding portion 521 may also protrude rearward in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the first flat plate portion 52. In this case, the outer bracket 40 may be provided with a support portion that supports the protruding portion 521 on the rear flange portion 43a.

The second flat plate portion 53 extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the end of the first flat plate portion 52 opposite the upper end 511 as it approaches the lower end 512. The third flat plate portion 54 extends in the up-down direction from the end of the second flat plate portion 53 opposite the first flat plate portion 52 to the lower end 512. The portions between the first flat plate portion 52 and the second flat plate portion 53, and between the second flat plate portion 53 and the third flat plate portion 54, are curved with a predetermined radius of curvature. As shown in FIG. 3, the second flat plate portion 53 and the third flat plate portion 54 are formed to a length sufficient to fit between the flange portions 43a, 43b of the outer bracket 40 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction. Therefore, the lower end portion 512, the side end portion 513 and the side end portion 514 of the base portion 51 are basically shaped to follow the lower end portion 412, the side end portion 413 and the side end portion 414 of the base portion 41 of the outer bracket 40, except for the portion where the protrusion 521 is formed, as shown in Figure 3.

As shown in Figure 6, the length of the base plate portion 51 in the vehicle width direction from the surface 51a of the first flat plate portion 52 to the surface 51a of the third flat plate portion 54 is formed to be approximately the same as the width of the side member 11. This allows the base plate portion 51 to sandwich the side member 11 together with the base plate portion 41 of the outer bracket 40 in the attached state. As shown in Figure 6, the base plate portion 51 is formed to be long enough in the vertical direction to sandwich at least the hook portion 22 together with the outer bracket 40 when the first flat plate portion 52 abuts against the inner surface 11d of the side member 11.

The inner bead 55 is a bead-machined portion that presents a convex shape facing inward in the vehicle width direction. That is, the inner bead 55 is formed so that the surface 51a side of the base plate portion 51 is concave and the surface 51b side is convex. Therefore, the cross section of the inner bead 55 perpendicular to the up-down direction is U-shaped. As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the inner bead 55 is formed in the center of the inner bracket 50 in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction. That is, when installed, the inner bead 55 is formed in a position offset from the outer bead 42 of the outer bracket 40.

In this embodiment, the inner bead 55 has a predetermined length in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and extends in the vertical direction from the upper end 511 of the first flat plate portion 52 to a range of the second flat plate portion 53 near the first flat plate portion 52. The inner bead 55 may also extend from the upper end 511 to the lower end 512. In this embodiment, the upper end 511 of the inner bead 55 has an open end 551 that opens in the vertical direction, as shown in FIG. 5 . By making the upper end 511 the open end 551 for the inner bead 55 that also extends to the upper end 511, the inner bead 55 can be easily formed on the base plate portion 51. The lower end of the inner bead 55 is a closed end, but may also be an open end that opens in the vertical direction.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the inner bracket 50 has holes 56 and 57 formed in the center of the base plate 51 in the vehicle longitudinal direction, penetrating the surfaces 51a and 51b, aligned vertically. Holes 56 and 57 are for inserting a jig when positioning the inner bracket 50. In this embodiment, holes 56 and 57 are formed in the same position in the vehicle longitudinal direction as the inner bead 55. That is, the inner bead 55 and holes 56 and 57 are aligned vertically. Note that "formed in the same position in the vehicle longitudinal direction" includes forming at least a portion of the inner bead 55 in the vehicle longitudinal direction and at least a portion of the hole portions 56 and 57 in the vehicle longitudinal direction aligned vertically.

(Hook part)
The hook portion 22 is a portion for engaging a fastener such as a rope with the towing hook 20, and is provided on the lower part of the outer bracket 40 and the inner bracket 50. In this embodiment, the hook portion 22 is a U-shaped member, as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 7. The hook portion 22 is formed with a size that allows the straight portion of the U-shape to be engaged with the outer bead 42 of the outer bracket 40. The hook portion 22 is positioned so that the curved portion of the U-shape extends below the outer bracket 40 when engaged with the outer bead 42.

(Towing hook mounting structure)
As shown in FIG. 7 , in the towing hook 20 configured as described above, the hook portion 22 is mated with the outer bead 42 of the outer bracket 40, and the outer bead 42 and the hook portion 22 are welded together as indicated by the thick solid lines in the figure. Also, as shown in FIG. 3 , the base plate portion 51 of the inner bracket 50 is sandwiched between the flange portions 43 a, 43 b of the outer bracket 40. Then, as indicated by the thick solid lines in FIG. 3 , the outer bracket 40 and the inner bracket 50 are welded together. More specifically, the flange portions 43 a, 43 b are welded to the side ends 513, 514 of the base plate portion 51, and a portion of the protrusion 521 is welded to a portion of the support portion 431 b. This integrates the hook portion 22, the outer bracket 40, and the inner bracket 50 into a subassembly.

Next, the towing hook 20 is positioned so that the outer bracket 40 and the inner bracket 50 sandwich the side member 11. At this time, as described above, the towing hook 20 can be easily positioned by inserting a positioning jig into the positioning holes 45, 46 of the outer bracket 40 and the positioning holes 56, 57 of the inner bracket 50. Then, as shown by the thick solid lines in Figures 2 and 3 , the upper end 411 of the outer bracket 40, the periphery of the hole 45, and the upper end 511 of the inner bracket 50 are welded to the side member 11, thereby securing the towing hook 20 to the side member 11. At this time, the upper end 411 of the outer bead 42 and the upper end 511 of the inner bead 55 are open and therefore not secured to the side member 11 by welding.

The towing hook 20 may be attached by sequentially fixing each member to the side member 11. For example, the outer bracket 40 may be fixed to the side member 11, the hook portion 22 may be fixed to the outer bracket 40, and then the inner bracket 50 may be fixed to the outer bracket 40 and the side member 11.
(Cab mount bracket configuration)

Next, the configuration of the cab mount bracket 30 will be explained, taking as its reference the direction in which the cab mount bracket 30 is attached to the side member 11. As shown in Figures 2 to 5, the cab mount bracket 30 has a support portion 31 and two legs 32.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the support portion 31 is a flat plate-shaped member fixed to the side member 11 and protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the side member 11. The support portion 31 is formed with a hole 311 for inserting a bolt included in a cab mount (not shown). Two legs 32 extend downward in the vertical direction from both ends of the support portion 31. As shown in Figure 2, the two legs 32 are formed with a distance between them so that they sandwich and engage with two outer beads 42 of the outer bracket 40 of the towing hook 20 from both sides in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction.

(Cab mount bracket installation structure)
As shown by the thick solid lines in Fig. 5, the support portion 31 of the cab mount bracket 30 is fixed by welding to the upper surface 11a of the side member 11. Furthermore, as shown by the thick solid lines in Fig. 2, the two legs 32 of the cab mount bracket 30 are fixed by welding to the sides of the outer bead 42, i.e., the side end portions 413 and 414 of the outer bracket 40. As a result, the cab mount bracket 30 is fixed to the side member 11 at the same position as the towing hook 20.

(recess in side member)
Further, as another essential part of the vehicle body structure 1 according to this embodiment, recesses 11e and 11f are formed in the side member 11. As shown in FIG. 3 , the recess 11e is formed across the upper surface 11a and the inner surface 11d of the side member 11 at the same position in the vehicle longitudinal direction as the inner bead 55 of the towing hook 20. That is, the inner bead 55 and the recess 11e are formed so as to be aligned in the vertical direction. Note that "formed at the same position in the vehicle longitudinal direction" includes forming at least a portion of the inner bead 55 in the vehicle longitudinal direction and at least a portion of the recess 11e in the vehicle longitudinal direction aligned in the vertical direction. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2 , the recess 11f is formed across the upper surface 11a and the outer surface 11c of the side member 11 at the same position in the vehicle longitudinal direction as the recess 11e.

(Effects of the embodiment)
As described above, the vehicle body structure 1 according to the embodiment comprises: a side member 11 extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle; an attachment portion 21 that is located in front of the side member 11 in the fore-and-aft direction and that sandwiches the side member 11 from both sides in the vehicle width direction, with upper ends 411, 511 fixed to the side member 11; and a towing hook 20 that includes: a hook portion 22 that is provided on the attachment portion 21 below the side member 11; the attachment portion 21 has an outer bead 42 that is formed in a portion located outward in the vehicle width direction from the side member 11 and extends in the vertical direction; and an inner bead 55 that is formed in a portion located inward in the vehicle width direction from the side member 11 and extends in the vertical direction, with the outer bead 42 and the inner bead 55 being formed in positions that are offset in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

With this configuration, when a vehicle collision occurs, the outer bead 42 and inner bead 55 collapse sequentially in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, allowing the towing hook 20 to collapse evenly in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. This prevents the towing hook 20 from hindering deformation near the end of the side member 11. Therefore, in a vehicle body structure 1 equipped with a towing hook 20 fixed to a side member 11 extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, it is possible to ensure that the end of the side member 11 can easily deform in the event of a vehicle collision.

In addition, the upper end 411 of the outer bead 42 is an opening end 421a, 421b that opens downward, and the upper end 511 of the inner bead 55 is an opening end 551 that opens upward and downward.

With this configuration, the upper end 411 of the outer bead 42 and the upper end 511 of the inner bead 55 are open and are not fixed to the side member 11. This allows the towing hook 20 to be easily crushed in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, starting from the outer bead 42 and the inner bead 55, in the event of a longitudinal collision. The outer bead 42 may be formed so that the open ends 421a, 422a, 421b, 422b are located midway up and down the base plate portion 41. The inner bead 55 may be formed so that the open end 551 is located midway up and down the base plate portion 51 (first flat plate portion 52). This configuration also allows the towing hook 20 to be easily crushed in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, compared to when the upper and lower ends of the outer bead 42 and the inner bead 55 are closed.

In addition, the outer bead 42 is formed at both ends of the mounting portion 21 in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction, and the inner bead 55 is formed at the center of the mounting portion 21 in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction.

With this configuration, in the event of a vehicle collision, the outer bead 42, inner bead 55, and outer bead 42 will collapse in this order, allowing the towing hook 20 to collapse evenly in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, as described above. Furthermore, when the towing hook 20 is used to secure a vehicle during towing or transportation, and a force is applied to the towing hook 20 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, a strong force is primarily applied to the fore-and-aft end of the towing hook 20. In this vehicle body structure 1, the inner bead 55 is formed in the center of the mounting portion 21 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, thereby minimizing stress on the inner bead 55 in the event of a non-collision, thereby ensuring the durability of the towing hook 20.

In addition, the vehicle body structure 1 of the embodiment further includes a cab mount bracket 30 that clamps the outer bead 42 from both sides in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and is fixed to the outer bead 42.

With this configuration, the cab mount bracket 30 and the towing hook 20 are attached to the side member 11 at the same position in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, thereby reducing the attachment area of both parts to the side member 11. Furthermore, by attaching both parts, which can hinder the ease of deformation of the side member 11, to the same position, the area near the end of the side member 11 that is difficult to deform can be narrowed as much as possible.

In addition, because the cab mount bracket 30 is configured to clamp and secure the outer bead 42 from the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, force in the front-to-rear direction is more likely to be applied to the outer bead 42 in the event of a vehicle collision, making it easier to crush the outer bead 42. Furthermore, by connecting the cab mount bracket 30 to the outer bead 42, which has high rigidity in the vehicle width direction (left-to-right direction), the rigidity of the cab mount bracket 30 can be increased. Furthermore, by ensuring a sufficient fixing area, even if a strong force is applied to the front-to-rear end of the towing hook 20 when using the towing hook 20 to secure the vehicle during towing or transportation, the force can be distributed and borne, thereby improving the durability of the towing hook 20.

The mounting portion 21 also has an outer bracket 40 on which an outer bead 42 is formed and an inner bracket 50 on which an inner bead 55 is formed.

With this configuration, the mounting portion 21 is made up of two different components, the outer bracket 40 and the inner bracket 50, making it easy to form the outer bead 42 on the outer bracket 40 and the inner bead 55 on the inner bracket 50.

In addition, the outer bracket 40 has flange portions 43 that protrude inward in the vehicle width direction from both ends in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction and clamp the inner bracket 50.

With this configuration, the flange portions 43 protruding in the vehicle width direction can increase the strength of the outer bracket 40 while preventing the outer bracket 40 from deforming in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction. Furthermore, by sandwiching the inner bracket 50 between the flange portions 43, it becomes possible to easily position the inner bracket 50.
Furthermore, the inner bracket 50 has a protruding portion 521 above the flange portion that protrudes beyond the flange portion 43 in the vehicle longitudinal direction and is fixed to the side member 11 at an upper end portion 511 .

This configuration lengthens the fixed area between the inner bracket 50 and the side member 11, thereby increasing the connection rigidity of the inner bracket 50. Furthermore, because the inner bracket 50 is formed with an inner bead 55, the inner bracket 50 can be made easily crushable even if a protrusion 521 is provided. In other words, the configuration of this embodiment makes it possible to achieve both connection rigidity and ease of deformation for the inner bracket 50.

In addition, the inner bead 55 is formed in the center of the inner bracket 50 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and the inner bracket 50 has holes 56 and 57 formed at the same position in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle as the inner bead 55, for inserting a jig to position the inner bracket 50.

With this configuration, holes 56 and 57 are formed in the center of the vehicle in the fore-and-aft direction, just like the inner bead 55, which minimizes stress around holes 56 and 57 during non-collision, ensuring the durability of the towing hook 20. Furthermore, by aligning the positions of the towing hook 20 that are likely to deform during a collision in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, the towing hook 20 can be designed to be easily crushed.

In addition, a recess 11e is formed in the side member 11 at the same position in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle as the inner bead 55.

This configuration makes the side member 11 and the towing hook 20 more likely to collapse at the same position in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, thereby further ensuring ease of deformation near the end of the side member 11.

Furthermore, as described above, the towing hook 20 is fixed to the front portion of the side member 11 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, thereby ensuring ease of deformation near the front end portion 111 of the side member 11 when a collision occurs at the front of the vehicle, making it difficult for deformation to reach the front portion of the vehicle interior, thereby ensuring the safety of occupants sitting in the front seats in particular.

In addition, in the vehicle body structure 1 of this embodiment, the rear side end portion 413 of the outer bracket 40 is formed longer than the front side end portion 414, and the portion near the lower end portion 412 extends diagonally toward the front.

This configuration ensures the strength of the outer bracket 40 while stably supporting the hook portion 22. Furthermore, by making the end shape of the inner bracket 50 similar, the strength of the inner bracket 50 can also be ensured. Furthermore, by forming the front side end portion 414 of the outer bracket 40 and the front side end portion 514 of the inner bracket 50 shorter than the rear side end portions 413, 513, the crushability of the front side of the towing hook 20 can be ensured.

(Modification)
Although the description of the embodiment has been completed, aspects of the present invention are not limited to this embodiment. For example, in this embodiment, the vehicle body structure 1 is applied to the front portion of the vehicle body, but the towing hook 20 and the cab mount bracket 30 may be provided at the rear portion of the side member 11 in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

In addition, in this embodiment, the towing hook 20 and the cab mount bracket 30 are fixed to the side member 11 by welding, but the towing hook 20 and the cab mount bracket 30 may also be fixed to the side member 11 using fasteners including, for example, bolts and nuts.

In addition, in this embodiment, the mounting portion 21 of the towing hook 20 has an outer bracket 40 and an inner bracket 50, and the U-shaped hook portion 22 is fixed to the outer bracket 40 and the inner bracket 50, but the configuration of the towing hook 20 is not limited to this.

For example, the mounting portion 21 may be configured as a single member that integrates the outer bracket 40 and the inner bracket 50, as long as the mounting portion 21 is capable of clamping and fixing the side member 11. Furthermore, the hook portion 22 is not limited to a U-shaped member, and may be, for example, a hole provided near the lower end of the mounting portion 21.

The outer bead 42 and the inner bead 55 may be formed at the same position in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The outer bead 42 may be formed in the center of the mounting portion 21 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The inner bead 55 may be formed at both ends of the mounting portion 21 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The outer bead 42 and the inner bead 55 are not limited to being formed in the center or both ends of the mounting portion 21 in the vehicle longitudinal direction, as long as at least one each is formed at any position in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

The cab mount bracket 30 may also be attached to the side member 11 at a position different from that of the towing hook 20 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. The flange portion 43 and holes 45, 46 may also be omitted from the outer bracket 40. The protrusion 521 and holes 56, 57 may also be omitted from the inner bracket 50.

In this embodiment, the recess 11e of the side member 11 is formed at the same position in the vehicle longitudinal direction as the inner bead 55, but the recess may be formed at the same position in the vehicle longitudinal direction as at least one of the outer bead 42 and the inner bead 55. For example, the recess 11f may be formed at the same position in the vehicle longitudinal direction as the outer bead 42.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 vehicle body structure 10 vehicle body frame 11 side member 11e, 11f recess 111 front end 20 towing hook 21 mounting portion 22 hook portion 30 cab mount bracket 40 outer bracket 411, 511 upper end 42, 42a, 42b outer bead 421a, 421b, 422a, 422b, 551 opening end 43, 43a, 43b flange portion 44, 45, 46, 56, 57 hole portion 50 inner bracket 521 protrusion 55 inner bead

Claims (10)

a side member extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle;
a towing hook including: a mounting portion that sandwiches the side member from both sides in the vehicle width direction at at least one of a front portion and a rear portion of the side member and has an upper end portion fixed to the side member; and a hook portion that is provided on the mounting portion below the side member and spaced apart from the side member;
Equipped with
the mounting portion has an outer bead formed on a portion located outward in a vehicle width direction with respect to the side member and extending along the up-down direction, and an inner bead formed on a portion located inward in the vehicle width direction with respect to the side member and extending along the up-down direction,
The outer bead and the inner bead are formed at positions offset in the vehicle longitudinal direction. 2. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein upper and lower ends of the outer bead and the inner bead are open ends that open in the vertical direction, and the hook portion is formed so as to be engageable with the outer bead. The outer beads are formed at both ends of the mounting portion in the vehicle front-rear direction and have a convex shape facing outward in the vehicle width direction,
The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein the inner bead is formed in a central portion of the attachment portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction and has a convex shape facing inward in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle body structure according to claim 3 , further comprising a cab mount bracket that sandwiches the outer bead from both sides in the vehicle longitudinal direction and is fixed to the outer bead. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting portion has an outer bracket on which the outer bead is formed and an inner bracket on which the inner bead is formed. The vehicle body structure according to claim 5 , wherein the outer bracket has flange portions that protrude inward in the vehicle width direction from both ends in the vehicle longitudinal direction and that sandwich the inner bracket. The vehicle body structure according to claim 6, wherein the inner bracket has a protruding portion above the flange portion that protrudes beyond the flange portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction and is fixed at an upper end to the side member. the inner bead is formed in a center portion of the inner bracket in the vehicle front-rear direction,
The vehicle body structure according to claim 5 , wherein the inner bracket has a hole formed in the inner bracket at the same position as the inner bead in the vehicle longitudinal direction, into which a jig for positioning the inner bracket is inserted. 2. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein the side member has a recess formed at a position in the vehicle longitudinal direction that is the same as that of at least one of the outer bead and the inner bead. 10. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein the towing hook is fixed to a front portion of the side member in the vehicle longitudinal direction.