REAR FLOOR PANEL STRUCTURE FOR VEHICLE

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a rear floor panel structure for a vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIO

It is known that a rear floor panel structure for a vehicle includes a rear floor panel in which a tire pan is formed at the back of the vehicle, a pair of rear frames which extends in parallel along lateral sides of the rear floor panel, and a cross member which connects the pair of rear frames, as is disclosed in JP2009-46G 14A 1 hereinafter called a prior art.

The prior art further discloses that the cross member is formed to be positioned near the tire pan which causes the limitation of vehicle's length. However, in recent years, demand for the vehicle which is formed to have larger and longer region between the tire pan and a cabin of the vehicle, increases.

Therefore, even if the vehicle is formed to have larger region between the tire pan and the cabin, the development of a rear floor panel structure for a vehicle which enhances the design layout for the region between the tire pan and the cross member and increases the strength of the region between the tire pan and the cross member is desired.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

PTL 1 : Japanese laid-open publication No. JP2009-46014A 1

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an objective of the present invention to provide a rear floor panel structure for a vehicle which enhances the design layout for the region between the tire pan and the cross member and increases the strength of a region between the tire pan and the cross member, even if the vehicle is formed to have larger and longer region between the tire pan and the cabin.

In order to achieve the above objective, an embodiment of the present invention provides a rear floor panel structure for a vehicle including: a rear floor panel; a pair of rear frames mutually extending along lateral sides of the rear floor panel; and a cross member connecting the pair of rear frames; wherein the rear floor panel is provided with a tire pan at a rear portion of the rear floor panel, wherein the tire pan is spaced away from the cross member, and wherein the rear floor panel is provided with a projecting portion which is formed to extend from the tire pan to the cross member.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, since the rear floor panel is provided with the projecting portion which is formed to extend from the tire pan to the cross member, it is possible to increase the strength of the region between the cross member and the tire pan even if the vehicle is formed to have larger and longer region between the tire pan and the cabin.

Moreover, since the vehicle is formed to have larger and longer region between the tire pan and the cabin, it is possible to enhance the design layout for the region between the tire pan and the cross member.

Furthermore, since the projecting portion is integrally formed with the rear floor panel, the projecting portion is able to keep the strength of the rear floor panel w ithout any additional support member. As a result, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost in comparison to the use of additional support member.

In the rear floor panel structure of the embodiment of the present invention, the rear floor panel is provided with a pair of rear wheels at the lateral sides of the rear floor panel, and wherein an axis line of the pair of rear wheels is formed to pass the projecting portion when viewed from above.

The projecting portion also performs the function as the support member of the rear floor panel against various kinds of force applied to the rear floor panel structure.

For example, the torsion stress from the rear wheels is transferred to the rear floor panel, the rear frames and the cross member to be distributed to the rear floor panel structure, when the vehicle is turned. According to the embodiment of the present invention, since the axis line of the pair of wheels is formed to pass the projecting portion when viewed from above, the projecting portion increases the strength o the region between the cross member and the tire pan to greatly resist force against the torsion stress.

In the rear floor panel structure of the embodiment of the present invention, the projecting portion includes a first projecting portion and a second projecting portion which are formed to extend from the tire pan to the cross member, and wherein the first projecting portion is spaced apart from the second projecting portion.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, since the first projecting portion is spaced apart from the second projecting portion, the strength of the region between the tire pan and the cross member is effectively distributed along the width direction of the rear floor panel in comparison to the use of one projecting portion. Therefore, it is possible to enhance the resistance force against the torsion stress in comparison to the use of one projecting portion.

In the rear floor panel structure of the embodiment of the present invention, the projecting portion includes at least one reinforcement structure.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, since the projecting portion includes at least one reinforcement structure, the at least one reinforcement structure makes the projecting portion stronger. Therefore, the at least one reinforcement structure increases the strength of the region between the cross member and the tire pan.

In the rear floor panel structure of the embodiment of the present invention, the projecting portion is formed into a recessed shape and recessed in a downward direction of the vehicle.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, since the projecting portion is formed into a recessed shape and recessed in a downward direction of the vehicle, it is possible to form the recessed space in a downward of the projecting portion where parts are accommodated. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The principle of the present invention and its advantages will become apparent in the following description taking in consideration with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a top view of a rear floor panel structure for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG.2 is a schematic view of the rear floor panel structure of FIG.1 when viewed from the left side of the rear floor panel structure;

FIG.3 is a bottom view of the rear floor panel structure of FIG.1 ;

FIG.4 is a perspective view of the rear floor panel structure of FIG.1 ;

FIG.5 is an end view taken along line V-V of FIG.1.

DETAILED DESCTIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG.5.

In the following detailed description, relative positional terms such as "front", "rear", "right side" and "left side" correspond to those directions considered from the vantage point of a vehicle operator, seated in the driver's seat and facing forward ly.

The embodiment of the invention discloses a rear floor panel structure 1 for a vehicle including a rear floor panel 10; a pair of rear frames 40L, 40R mutually extending in parallel along lateral sides of the rear floor panel 10; and a cross member 50 connecting the pair of rear frames 40L, 40R. The cross member 50 includes an upper cross member 52 and a lower cross member 54, and is configured to sandwich the rear floor panel 10 between the upper cross member 52 and the lower cross member 54.

The rear floor panel 10 constitutes a floor of a trunk room of a vehicle, which is located at the rear of a floor of a vehicle cabin. The rear floor panel 10 includes a tire pan 12 at a rear portion of the rear floor panel 10, and a projecting portion 14. The tire pan 12 is formed to project downward from the rear portion of the rear floor panel 10 and to accommodate a spare wheel SW. The rear floor panel 10 is formed of a metal plate or multiple metal plates.

The tire pan 12 is constituted by an approximately horizontal bottom surface 12a on which the spare wheel SW is mounted by using a spare wheel mounting member 16. a pair of side wall 12L, 12R which is provided along both side edges of the bottom surface 12a, and front wall 12b which is provided along a front edge of the bottom surface 12a.

As shown in FIG.2, each of the front wall 12b and the side walls 12L, 12R forms the approximately vertical wall of the tire pan 12. Then the rear floor panel 10 is formed in the step shape by the bottom surface 12a, the front wall 12b which downwardly slopes from an uppermost surface of the rear floor panel 10 to the bottom surface 12a, and the side walls 12L, 12R.

As shown in FlGs. l , 3, and 4, the rear floor panel 10 is provided with a pair of rear frames 40L, 40R along lateral sides of the rear floor panel 10. The pair of rear frames 40L, 40R are mutually formed to extend in parallel along the lateral sides of the rear floor panel 10 and to support the lateral sides of the rear floor panel 10.

Upper arms 42L, 42R, coil springs 44 L, 44R, shock absorbers 46L, 46R, and axle assemblies 48L, 48R which constitutes a suspension assembly are provided at lower portions of the rear frames 40L, 40R, respectively.

The upper arms 42L (42R) is mounted on an upper portion of the coil springs 44 L (44R) that is formed on the axle assembly 48L (48R) to which the rear wheel RW (RW) is connected. The the upper arms 42 L (42R) is also connected to the real floor panel 10 at the position of the rear flame 40L (40R) when viewed from above, so as to be capable of swinging/moving of the axle assembly 48L (48R) in the vertical direction.

The shock absorbers 46L (46R) which include a spring inside is attached to the rear portion of the axle assemblies 48L (48R) for reducing some vibration when the vehicle is running on the rough road. The cross member 50 which includes the upper cross member 52 and the lower cross member 54 is configured to sandwich the rear floor panel 10 between the upper cross member 52 and the lower cross member 54. The cross member 50 is mounted on the real floor panel 10 so as to extend to the right and left direction.

The seat is mounted on the upper cross member 52. The seat belt anchor is coupled with the upper cross member 52. The lower cross member 54 is configured that one end of the lower cross member 54 connects one of the rear frames 40L, 40R and the other end of the lower cross member 54 connects the other of the rear frames 40L, 40R.

The rear floor panel 10 includes a projecting portion 14 which consists of a first projecting portion 14L and a second projecting portion 14R. The first projecting portion 14L is spaced apart from the second projecting portion 14R in the width direction of the vehicle so as to effectively distribute the stress along the rear floor panel 10. The number of the projecting portions in this embodiment is "2", but the number of the projecting portions is not restricted.

The first projecting portion 14L and the second projecting portion 14R are formed to extend from the tire pan 12 to the cross member 50 so as to be configured to increase the strength of the region between the cross member 50 and the tire pan 12. The first projecting portion 14L and the second projecting portion 14R are formed into a recessed shape and recessed in a downward direction of the vehicle. As such, it is possible to form the recessed space in a downward of the projecting portions 14L, 14R where parts are accommodated.

The first projecting portion 14L and the second projecting portion 14R further include reinforcement structures 15 which is formed as long and thin recesses within the projecting portion 14L ( 14R) and extend the front and rear direction, so as to make the greater strength of the projecting portion 14L ( 14R). The reinforcement structures 15 further increase the strength of the region between the cross member 50 and the tire pan 12. The reinforcement structure i not limited to the long and thin recess, but, for example, the long and thin protrusion may be used.

Moreover, for the purpose of increasing the strength of the region between the cross member 50 and the tire pan 12, the first projecting portion 14L and the second projecting portion 14R are formed so that an axis line AL of the pair of rear wheels RW, RW is formed to pass the first projecting portion 14L and the second projecting portion 14R when viewed from above.

Next, the operation of the rear floor panel structure 1 when the driver changes the direction of the vehicle by turning a steering wheel will be provided.

Firstly, when the driver changes the direction of the vehicle by turning a steering wheel, a torsion stress transmitted from the rear wheel RW is caused in a main torsion areas 20L, 20R which are partial areas of the rear floor panel 10. The main torsion areas 20L, 20R are defined as the areas which extend from the position of connecting between the axle assemblies 48L, 48R and the rear floor panel 10 along the side edge of the rear floor panel 10.

Secondly, the torsion stress transmitted to the main torsion area 20L, 20R is distributed to the rear frame 40L, 40R and transmitted to the rear floor panel 10 in the left and right direction while attenuating the torsion stress. As such, the cross member 50 that is connected between the rear frame 40L, 40R is prevented form the deformation in certain level.

Since the projecting portions 14L, 14R are formed in a recess shape and are integrally formed with the rear floor panel 10, the projecting portion 14L, 14R are able to keep the strength of the rear floor panel 10 without any additional support member. Also, the projecting portions 14L, 14R are keep the strength of a part of the rear floor panel 10 where the reinforcement effect by the cross member 50 is not enough. As such, it is possible to prevent the deformation of the rear floor frame 10 efficiently.

Moreover, the first projecting portion 14L and the second projecting portion 14R are formed so that an axis line AL of the pair of rear wheels RW, RW is formed to pass the first projecting portion 14L and the second projecting portion 14R when viewed from above. As such, as the cross member 50 performs the function as the support member of the rear panel 10 against various kinds of force applied to the cross member 50, and the projecting portions 14L, 14R also perform the function as the extra support member of the rear floor panel 10, the rear floor panel 10 is able to enhance the resistance force against the torsion stress.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described as well as illustrated in the companying drawings, it is simply for the purpose of better understanding of the principle of the present invention and it is not as a limitation of the scope and spirit of the teaching of the present invention. Adaption and modification to various structures such as design or material of the invention, mounting mechanism of various parts and elements or embodiments are possible and apparent to a skilled person without departing from the scope of the present invention which is to be determined by the claims.

List of reference:

1 rear floor panel structure

10 rear floor panel

12 tire pan

12a bottom surface 12b front wall 12L, 12R side wall

14 projecting portion

14L first projecting portion 14R second projecting portion

15 reinforcement structure

16 spare wheel mounting member 20L, 20R torsion area

40L, 40R rear frame

42L, 42R upper arms

44L, 44R coil spring

46L, 46R shock absorber

48L, 48R axle assembly

50 cross member

52 upper cross member

54 lower cross member

SW spare wheel

RW rear wheel

AL axis line of a pair of rear wheels