Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-284594 is expressly incorporated by reference in its entirely.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a body upper structure for a vehicle. Particularly, it relates to a structure around a joint between a roof side-rail and a center pillar for a vehicle. In the vehicle, the roof side-rail forms one fore-and-aft directional framework member on one side of the roof, while the center pillar forms one up-and-down directional framework member on one side of the vehicle body.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-313353 discloses a body upper structure for vehicle. In this structure, an engagement rib is formed on a connecting part between a center-pillar outer member and the roof side-rail. While, an engagement recess is formed on another connecting part between a center-pillar inner member and the roof side-rail. In assembling, by engaging and welding the engagement rib with the engagement recess, the roof side-rail and the center pillar are integrated into one body.
Now, it is known that a downward load is applied on the roof side-rail when the vehicle has an xe2x80x9coffsetxe2x80x9d front collision or when the roof collapses. On the other hand, when the vehicle has a side collision, the center pillar is subjected to a load in a direction to thrust up the roof side-rail.
The above-mentioned body upper structure has the roof side-rail and the center pillar formed into one body; nevertheless there still remains a possibility that when the vehicle has the above collisions, the roof side-rail or the center pillar is locally and greatly deformed since the structure does not take measures to effectively transmit a collision load from the roof side-rail to the center pillar, and vice versa.
Under the above circumstance, it is an object of the present invention to provide a body upper structure for a vehicle, which is superior in transmitting a load from the roof side-rail to the center pillar, and vice versa, thereby reducing a local deformation in the roof side-rail or the center pillar at the vehicle collision or at the collapse of the roof.
According to the invention, the above-mentioned object is accomplished by a body upper structure for a vehicle, comprising:
a roof side-rail which is formed to have a closed cross section and also provided with a vertical rib bridging between an upper wall and a lower wall both forming the roof side-rail; and
a center pillar united with the roof side-rail, the center pillar having a pillar outer member and a shoulder part formed on an upper end of the pillar outer member so as to fit a successive corner defined between lower and outer walls forming the roof side-rail thereby to support the roof side-rail;
wherein the pillar outer member is provided, on an interior side thereof, with a plurality of vertical ribs at an interval in a fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, the vertical ribs extending from a base of the shoulder part downward while respective upper ends of the vertical ribs are abutting on the lower wall of the roof side-rail; and
wherein the vertical ribs are formed to project inwardly in a width direction of vehicle, up to a position where, in view along an up-and-down direction of vehicle, the upper ends of the vertical ribs substantially intersect with the vertical rib of the roof side-rail.