Disclosed is an upper connecting structure of a side rail and a center pillar. The side rail has a closed cross section constituted by a side rail outer member and a side rail inner member disposed inside of the side rail outer member. A ridge line extending in a lengthwise direction of a vehicle is formed by an upper surface and a side surface of the side rail outer member. Further, a plurality of bead sections are formed over the upper and side surfaces of the side rail outer member across the ridge line. More specifically, a pair of bead sections are formed with a connection portion of the side rail outer member and the center pillar between so as to securely prevent the upper connecting structure from being collapsed.
The present invention provides a joint construction in an upper part of a center pillar, in which a groove part 5 having a substantially U-shaped cross section, which is open upward and extends in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle 1, is provided in a joint portion between a roof panel 2 and a side body outer panel 3 of the vehicle 1, wherein a roof center member 6 is provided under the roof panel 2, and on the other hand, a rail side inner panel 12 and a center pillar reinforce 10 are provided in a center pillar upper portion D; a vehicle inside end part 10a of the center pillar reinforce 10 extends toward the upper inside of the vehicle 1, and is joined to the roof center member 6, the roof panel 2, and the side body outer panel 3 in the groove part 5; and the vehicle inside end part 10a of the center pillar reinforce 10 is provided so as to extend to a vehicle inside end portion 12a of the rail side inner panel 12.
A vehicle body structure of the present invention comprises a front pillar including a front pillar inner and a front pillar outer and provided in an up and down direction of a vehicle body, a front roof rail provided in an upper portion of the front pillar and extended in a lateral direction of the vehicle body, and a joint member provided between the front roof rail and the front pillar inner and jointing the front roof rail and the front pillar inner. In the vehicle body structure, a joint portion other than a joint portion of the joint member and a side edge portion at a body center side of the front pillar inner is configured to provide weaker joint, with respect to a load applied to the vehicle body obliquely from above, than joint provided by a joint portion of the joint member and the front roof rail. Thereby, the concentration of stress corresponding to the load can be avoided.
Basically, a vehicle body structure is configured to reduce the rotation of a side roof rail that may occur during a side collision that deforms the center pillar inwardly of the vehicle body. The vehicle body structure basically includes a side rail reinforcement member located in the area where the center pillar is attached to the roof side rail. The reinforcement member can basically be divided into a first side rail reinforcement section that extends in a forward to aft direction along the roof side rail and a second side rail reinforcement section that extends in an inward direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the roof side rail. The second section of the roof side rail overlies a portion of the sliding door pocket structure that is located just rearwardly of the center pillar.
