Vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11535299-B2
Application number	US-202117192890-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2021
Priority date	Mar 17, 2020
Publication date	Dec 27, 2022
Grant date	Dec 27, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle may include: a vehicle body including an opening in a rear portion thereof; a door configured to close the opening; and a hinge swingably connecting the door to the vehicle body. The vehicle body may further include: a frame extending along an upper edge of the opening in a left-right direction of the vehicle; and a rear header located between the frame and the upper edge of the opening. The rear header may include: a hinge mounting portion to which the hinge is attached; and an intermediate portion located between the hinge mounting portion and the frame. The intermediate portion may be located below the hinge mounting portion in an up-down direction of the vehicle. The intermediate portion of the rear header may have a lower flexural strength than the frame against a collision load that acts in a front-rear direction of the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle body comprising an opening in a rear portion thereof;
a door configured to close the opening; and
a hinge swingably connecting the door to the vehicle body,
wherein
the vehicle body further comprises:
a frame extending along an upper edge of the opening in a left-right direction of the vehicle; and
a rear header located between the frame and the upper edge of the opening,

the rear header comprises:
a hinge mounting portion to which the hinge is attached; and
an intermediate portion located between the hinge mounting portion and the frame, the intermediate portion being located below the hinge mounting portion in an up-down direction of the vehicle, and

the intermediate portion of the rear header has a lower flexural strength than the frame against a collision load that acts in a front-rear direction of the vehicle,
wherein the vehicle body further comprises:
a first panel member extending from the frame to the hinge mounting portion of the rear header; and
a second panel member extending from the frame to the hinge mounting portion of the rear header along the first panel member and defining a closed cross section with the first panel member in the frame.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the intermediate portion comprises at least one bend, and
each of the at least one bend extends along the left-right direction.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein
the at least one bend comprises a first bend and a second bend located between the first bend and the hinge mounting portion, and
the first bend is a valley fold when viewed from an outside of the vehicle body, and
the second bend is a mountain fold when viewed from the outside of the vehicle body.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein
the vehicle body further comprises a third panel member that is located between the first panel member and the second panel member and extends from the frame to the intermediate portion of the rear header, and
a rear end of the third panel member is located between ends of the intermediate portion of the rear header in the front-rear direction.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein each of the first panel member and the second panel member comprises a bend along the rear end of the third panel member.

6. The vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein the vehicle body further comprises a roof panel that extends forward from the upper edge of the opening and covers the first panel member and the second panel member.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the vehicle body further comprises a third panel member that is located between the first panel member and the second panel member and extends from the frame to the intermediate portion of the rear header, and
a rear end of the third panel member is located between ends of the intermediate portion of the rear header in the front-rear direction.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein each of the first panel member and the second panel member comprises a bend along the rear end of the third panel member.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle body further comprises a roof panel that extends forward from the upper edge of the opening and covers the first panel member and the second panel member.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd
• Subaru Corp

Inventors

• Kosaka Noritaka

Classifications

• B60J5/102

  comprising door or part of door being pivotable downwards about horizontal axis to open position · CPC title

• B62D25/06 Primary

  Fixed roofs (non-fixed roofs or like shelters B60J7/00; roof liners B60R13/02; insulating elements B60R13/08) · CPC title

• B60J5/107

  constructional details, e.g. about door frame, panels, materials used, reinforcements · CPC title

• B60J5/101 Primary

  for non-load transporting vehicles, i.e. family cars including vans · CPC title

• B62D21/152

  Front or rear frames · CPC title