US-12623725-B2 - Vehicle rear structure

US12623725B2US 12623725 B2US12623725 B2US 12623725B2US-12623725-B2

Abstract

The vehicle rear structure comprises a pair of rear component members, a pair of rear side members, a cross connection member, and a pair of vertical posts. The cross connection member includes a connecting portion and an arm portion. The connecting portion is disposed rearward of the rear component member and extends in the vehicle width direction. The arm portion extends from both ends of the connecting portion in the vehicle width direction toward the front of the vehicle and is connected to the tower portion. The cross connection member has a substantially U-shape convex toward the rear of the vehicle in a plan view. The vertical post vertically connects the arm portion and the rear side member.

Inventors

Masatoshi Hata
Taisuke SATOI
Masaya EGAMI

Assignees

TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20231219
Priority Date: 20221226

Claims (5)

1 . A vehicle rear structure, comprising: first and second rear component members disposed at intervals in a vehicle width direction; first and second rear side members disposed at intervals in the vehicle width direction, and extending respectively from rear ends of the first and second rear component members toward a rear side of a vehicle; a cross connection member connecting the first and second rear component members to each other; and first and second vertical posts, wherein each of the first and second rear component members is a hollow member in which a main body portion, a tower portion, and a suspension member portion are integrally cast, wherein the main body portion has a front end connected to a rear pillar and a rear end connected to a corresponding one of the first and second rear side members, the tower portion has a tower shape opened toward a lower side of the vehicle so as to receive a part of a suspension device, and extends from the main body portion toward an upper side of the vehicle, the suspension member portion supports the suspension device, and extends from the main body portion toward the lower side of the vehicle, and the suspension member portion has a front end connected to a rocker, the cross connection member includes a connecting portion and first and second arm portions, wherein the connecting portion is disposed rearward of the first and second rear component members and extends in the vehicle width direction, the first and second arm portions extend respectively from first and second ends of the connecting portion in the vehicle width direction toward a front side of the vehicle, and the first arm portion is connected to the tower portion of the first rear component member, and the second arm portion is connected to the tower portion of the second rear component member, the cross connection member has an approximately U-shaped shape convex toward the rear side in a plan view of the vehicle rear structure, and the first vertical post vertically connects the first arm portion and the first rear side member, and the second vertical post vertically connects the second arm portion and the second rear side member.
2 . The vehicle rear structure according to claim 1 , wherein the first rear side member extends from the rear end of the main body portion of the first rear component member toward the rear side of the vehicle, the second rear side member extends from the rear end of the main body portion of the second rear component member toward the rear side of the vehicle, and in a side view of the vehicle, a rectangular ring shape is formed by the first rear side member, the first vertical post, the first arm portion, and the tower portion of the first rear component member, and a further rectangular ring shape is formed by the second rear side member, the second vertical post, the second arm portion, and the tower portion of the second rear component member.
3 . The vehicle rear structure according to claim 1 , wherein a rear end of each of the first and second rear side members is positioned rearward of a rear end of the cross connection member.
4 . The vehicle rear structure according to claim 1 , wherein each arm portion of the first and second arm portions is inclined with respect to a corresponding rear side member of the first and second rear side members in the plan view such that a front end of the arm portion is positioned at an outer side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the corresponding rear side member and a rear end of the arm portion is positioned at an inner side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the corresponding rear side member, and the first vertical post is disposed at a position where the first arm portion and the first rear side member intersect with each other in the plan view, and the second vertical post is disposed at a position where the second arm portion and the second rear side member intersect with each other in the plan view.
5 . The vehicle rear structure according to claim 4 , further comprising: an access opening in communication with a luggage space; and a rear door for opening and closing the access opening, wherein the access opening extends in an approximately horizontal direction at a height substantially equal to that of the cross connection member, the cross connection member surrounds a portion of a peripheral edge of the access opening, the rear door is disposed above the cross connection member, and the first and second rear side members and the cross connection member are cylindrical extruded members.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-207921 filed on Dec. 26, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety including the specification, claims, drawings, and abstract. TECHNICAL FIELD This specification discloses a vehicle rear structure. BACKGROUND Generally, a suspension, a suspension member, a suspension tower, and a rear side member are disposed at a rear portion of a vehicle. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique of integrally molding a suspension member and a suspension tower by casting for the purpose of improving collision safety. According to this technique, collision safety can be improved to some extent. However, in Patent Document 1, the structure behind the casting member was not sufficiently examined. Accordingly, the present specification discloses a vehicle rear structure capable of further improving the rigidity of the vehicle rear portion. CITATION LIST PATENT DOCUMENT 1: JP.H06286652.A SUMMARY A vehicle rear structure disclosed in the present specification comprises a pair of rear component members disposed at intervals in a vehicle width direction; a pair of rear side members disposed at intervals in the vehicle width direction, each of which extending from a rear end of the rear component member toward a rear side of the vehicle; a cross connection member connecting the pair of rear component members to each other; and a pair of vertical posts, wherein the rear component member is a hollow member in which a main body portion, a tower portion, and a suspension member portion are integrally cast, the main body portion has a front end connected to a rear pillar and a rear end connected to the rear side member, the tower portion has a tower shape opened toward a lower side of the vehicle so as to receive a part of a suspension device, and extends from the main body portion toward an upper side of the vehicle, the suspension member portion supports the suspension device, has a front end connected to a rocker, and extends from the main body portion toward the lower side of the vehicle, the cross connection member includes a connecting portion and a pair of arm portions, the connecting portion is disposed rearward of the rear component member and extends in the vehicle width direction, the arm portion extends from both ends of the connecting portion in the vehicle width direction toward the front side of the vehicle, and is connected to the tower portion, the cross connection member has an approximately U-shaped shape convex toward a rear side in a plan view, and the vertical post vertically connects the arm portion and the rear side member. With such a configuration, it is possible to improve the rigidity of the vehicle behind the rear component member. In this case, the rear side member may extend from the rear end of the main body portion toward a rear side of the vehicle, and in a side view of the vehicle, a rectangular ring shape may be formed by the rear side member, the vertical post, the arm portion, and the tower portion. By forming the rectangular ring shape, the rigidity of the rear portion of the vehicle can be further improved. A rear end of the rear side member may be positioned rearward of a rear end of the cross connection member. With this configuration, when a rear collision occurs, the collision load can be received by the rear side member having high rigidity. As a result, deformation of the rear portion of the vehicle can be suppressed. The arm portion may be inclined with respect to the rear side member in a plan view such that a front end of the arm portion is positioned at an outer side in the vehicle width direction than the rear side member and a rear end of the arm portion is positioned at an inner side in the vehicle width direction than the rear side member, and the vertical post may be disposed at a position where the arm portion and the rear side member intersect with each other in a plan view. With such a configuration, the shape of the vertical post can be simplified. The vehicle rear structure further may comprise an access opening in communication with a luggage space; and a rear door for opening and closing the access opening, wherein the access opening extends in an approximately horizontal direction at a height substantially equal to that of the cross connection member, the cross connection member surrounds a portion of a peripheral edge of the access opening, the rear door is disposed above the cross connection member, and the rear side member and the cross connection member are cylindrical extruded members. With this configuration, the rigidity of the vehicle around the access opening can be improved. Further, the downward force generated when the rear door is closed can be supported by the vertical post. According to the vehicle rear structure disclosed in this specification, the rigidity of the vehicle rear portion can be further improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION