REAR VEHICLE-BODY STRUCTURE OF VEHICLE

• US 20110156447A1
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: MATSUOKA, Hidenori, NATSUME, Hirotaka
• Granted Patent: US 8,191,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/203.04
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/087 Luggage compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/088 Details of structures as upper supports for springs or dampers

Abstract

In a rear vehicle-body structure of a vehicle in which a damper support portion supporting an upper end portion of a suspension damper is provided at a rear wheel house, on a vehicle-inside wall face of the rear wheel house are provided a first brace member which interconnects a front portion of the damper support portion and a rear side frame and a second brace member which interconnects a rear portion of the damper support portion and the rear side frame. Accordingly, the rigidity of the damper support portion provided at the rear wheel house can be improved easily and effectively, and this structure can have superiority in its applicability.

Claims

1. A rear vehicle-body structure of a vehicle, comprising:

a wheel house projecting toward a vehicle inside;

a suspension damper stored on a vehicle outside of the wheel house;

a damper support portion provided at an upper portion of the wheel house and supporting an upper end portion of the suspension damper;

a side frame extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction at a side portion of a vehicle floor;

a cross member extending in a vehicle width direction along the vehicle floor and connecting to the side frame;

a first brace member provided on a vehicle-inside wall face of the wheel house and interconnecting a front portion, in the vehicle longitudinal direction, of the damper support portion and the side frame; and

a second brace member provided on the vehicle-inside wall face of the wheel house and interconnecting a rear portion, in the vehicle longitudinal direction, of the damper support portion and the side frame.

2. The rear vehicle-body structure of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said side frame comprises a pair of side frames provided at both side portions of the vehicle floor, and said cross member includes a cross member which interconnects said pair of side frames at a connection position of the side frame connecting to said first brace member.

3. The rear vehicle-body structure of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said side frame comprises a pair of side frames provided at both side portions of the vehicle floor, and said cross member includes a cross member which interconnects said pair of side frames at a connection position of the side frame connecting to said second brace member.

4. The rear vehicle-body structure of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said side frame comprises a pair of side frames provided at both side portions of the vehicle floor, and said cross member includes a first cross member which interconnects said pair of side frames at a connection position of the side frame connecting to said first brace member and a second cross member which interconnects said pair of side frames at a connection position of the side frame connecting to said second brace member.

5. The rear vehicle-body structure of a vehicle of claim 4, wherein said second cross member is arranged so that at least part of the second cross member overlaps, in the vehicle longitudinal direction, with said second brace member in a vehicle side view.

6. The rear vehicle-body structure of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said first and second brace members comprise a member having a U-shaped cross section with an open end, respectively, and the first and second brace members are attached to the vehicle-inside wall face of the wheel house so that a closed cross section extending substantially vertically is formed between the first and second brace members and the wheel house, respectively.

7. The rear vehicle-body structure of a vehicle of claim 6, wherein a pair of projection portions which projects toward the vehicle inside is formed at said damper support portion of the wheel house at specified positions which are located in front and back of said suspension damper, respectively, and said first and second brace members connect to said pair of projection portions at upper portions thereof, respectively.

8. The rear vehicle-body structure of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said damper support portion of the wheel house includes a reinforcing member which reinforces the damper support portion, and said first and second brace members connect to said reinforcing member at upper portions thereof, respectively.

9. The rear vehicle-body structure of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein an outer-face-side reinforcing member is provided on an outer-face side, in the vehicle width direction, of said damper support portion of the wheel house so as to extend upwardly from a specified position corresponding to the upper portion of the wheel house.

10. A rear vehicle-body structure of a vehicle, comprising:

a wheel house projecting toward a vehicle inside;

a suspension damper stored on a vehicle outside of the wheel house;

a damper support portion provided at an upper portion of the wheel house and supporting an upper end portion of the suspension damper;

a pair of side frames extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction at both side portions of a vehicle floor;

first and second cross members extending in a vehicle width direction along the vehicle floor and interconnecting the pair of side frames, respectively;

a first brace member provided on a vehicle-inside wall face of the wheel house and interconnecting a front portion, in the vehicle longitudinal direction, of the damper support portion and the side frame; and

a second brace member provided on the vehicle-inside wall face of the wheel house and interconnecting a rear portion, in the vehicle longitudinal direction, of the damper support portion and the side frame,

wherein said first cross member interconnects the pair of side frames at a connection position of the side frame connecting to said first brace member, and said second cross member interconnects the pair of side frames at a connection position of the side frame connecting to said second brace member,

said first and second brace members comprise a member having a U-shaped cross section with an open end, respectively, and the first and second brace members are attached to the vehicle-inside wall face of the wheel house so that a closed cross section extending substantially vertically is formed between the first and second brace members and the wheel house, respectively, and

a pair of projection portions which projects toward the vehicle inside is formed at said damper support portion of the wheel house at specified positions which are located in front and back of said suspension damper, respectively, and said first and second brace members connect to said pair of projection portions at upper portions thereof, respectively.

11. The rear vehicle-body structure of a vehicle of claim 10, wherein said damper support portion of the wheel house includes a reinforcing member which reinforces the damper support portion, and said first and second brace members connect to said reinforcing member at upper portions thereof, respectively.

12. The rear vehicle-body structure of a vehicle of claim 10, wherein an outer-face-side reinforcing member is provided on an outer-face side, in the vehicle width direction, of said damper support portion of the wheel house so as to extend upwardly from a specified position corresponding to the upper portion of the wheel house.