# US 10,370,036 B2 · Vehicle roof structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,036 B2 - Document ID: US10370036B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/677,351 - Filed: 2017-08-15 - Published: 2018-04-12 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-07 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Masaru Toyota; Tsuyoshi Izuhara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370036B2 ## CPC - B62D 21/157: {for side impacts} - B62D 25/02: Side panels {(B62D33/046 takes precedence; sideboards for open load compartments B62D33/023)} - B62D 25/06: Fixed roofs (non-fixed roofs or like shelters B60J7/00; roof liners B60R13/02; insulating elements B60R13/08) - B62D 29/005: {preformed metal and synthetic material elements being joined together, e.g. by adhesives} - B60Y 2304/03: Reducing weight - B60Y 2306/01: Reducing damages in case of crash, e.g. by improving battery protection - B62D 27/023: {Assembly of structural joints} - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY ## Abstract The present disclosure provides a vehicle roof structure including: a left and right pair of roof side rails configuring part of a roof section of a vehicle body, the roof side rails are supported by a center pillar configuring part of the vehicle body and extend along a vehicle front-rear direction; a roof reinforcement portion formed of fiber reinforced plastic, the roof reinforcement portion disposed between the roof side rails so as to extend along a vehicle width direction; and a coupling section formed of metal, the coupling section couples the roof side rails and the roof reinforcement portion, and includes a weak section, the weak section deforms under a collision load in the vehicle width direction prior to the roof reinforcement portion undergoing bending deformation under the collision load. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle roof structure comprising: a left and right pair of roof side rails configuring part of a roof section of a vehicle body, wherein the roof side rails are supported by a center pillar configuring part of the vehicle body and extend along a vehicle front-rear direction; a roof reinforcement portion formed of fiber reinforced plastic, the roof reinforcement portion disposed between the roof side rails so as to extend along a vehicle width direction; and a left and right pair of coupling sections formed of metal, wherein each coupling section couples a corresponding one of the left and right roof side rails and the roof reinforcement portion, and includes a weak section, wherein the weak section deforms under a collision load in the vehicle width direction prior to the roof reinforcement portion undergoing bending deformation under the collision load, wherein the left and right pair of roof side rails each include an extension portion that extends toward the vehicle width direction inner side, and wherein the weak section is configured to abut the extension portion in a state in which the weak section is deformed due to the collision load, wherein the weak section is formed with a protruding bead portion, wherein the protruding bead portion extends along the vehicle front-rear direction and protrudes toward a side of a neutral axis of bending of each of the coupling sections in a vehicle vertical direction due to the collision load, wherein the weak section includes: the protruding bead portion formed further toward a vehicle width direction outer side than an inner side connection portion that is a connection portion of each of the coupling sections and that connects the left or right coupling section and the roof reinforcement portion, and an indented bead portion indented to an opposite side of the neutral axis and extending along the vehicle front-rear direction, wherein the indented bead portion is formed further toward a vehicle width direction inner side than an outer side connection portion that is another connection portion of each of the coupling sections and that connects the left or right coupling section and a corresponding one of the left or right roof side rails and further toward the vehicle width direction outer side than the protruding bead portion; and wherein the outer side connection portion is provided at a portion to a vehicle lower side of the roof side rails, and the protruding bead portion and the indented bead portion are disposed further toward a vehicle upper side than the outer side connection portion and further toward the vehicle lower side than an apex of the roof side rails. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle roof structure of claim 1, further comprising a high rigidity portion provided to each of the coupling sections and between the roof reinforcement portion and the weak section, the high rigidity portion being set with a higher rigidity with respect to bending in a vehicle vertical direction than a rigidity of the roof reinforcement portion. ### Claim 3 A vehicle roof structure comprising: a left and right pair of roof side rails configuring part of a roof section of a vehicle body, wherein the roof side rails are supported by a center pillar configuring part of the vehicle body and extend along a vehicle front-rear direction; a roof reinforcement portion formed of fiber reinforced plastic, the roof reinforcement portion disposed between the roof side rails so as to extend along a vehicle width direction; and a left and right pair of coupling sections formed of metal, wherein each coupling section couples a corresponding one of the left and right roof side rails and the roof reinforcement portion, and includes a weak section, wherein the weak section deforms under a collision load in the vehicle width direction prior to the roof reinforcement portion undergoing bending deformation under the collision load, wherein the weak section is formed with a protruding bead portion, wherein the protruding bead portion extends along the vehicle front-rear direction and protrudes toward a side of a neutral axis of bending of each of the coupling sections in a vehicle vertical direction due to the collision load, and wherein the weak section includes: a first indented bead portion indented toward an opposite side to the neutral axis and extending along the vehicle front-rear direction, the first indented bead portion formed further toward a vehicle width direction outer side than an inner side connection portion that is a connection portion of each of the coupling sections and that connects the left or right coupling section and the roof reinforcement portion, a second indented bead portion indented to the opposite side of the neutral axis and extending along the vehicle front-rear direction, the second indented bead portion formed further toward a vehicle width direction inner side than an outer side connection portion that is another connection portion of each of the coupling sections and that connects the left or right coupling section and a corresponding one of the left or right roof side rails, and the protruding bead portion formed between the first indented bead portion and the second indented bead portion; and the outer side connection portion is provided at a portion at a vehicle lower side of the roof side rails, and the protruding bead portion, the first indented bead portion, and the second indented bead portion are disposed further toward a vehicle upper side than the outer side connection portion and further toward the vehicle lower side than an apex of the roof side rails. ### Claim 4 A vehicle roof structure comprising: a left and right pair of roof side rails configuring part of a roof section of a vehicle body, wherein the roof side rails are supported by a center pillar configuring part of the vehicle body and extend along a vehicle front-rear direction; a roof reinforcement portion formed of fiber reinforced plastic, the roof reinforcement portion disposed between the roof side rails so as to extend along a vehicle width direction; and a left and right pair of coupling sections formed of metal, wherein each coupling section couples a corresponding one of the left and right roof side rails and the roof reinforcement portion, and includes a weak section, wherein the weak section deforms under a collision load in the vehicle width direction prior to the roof reinforcement portion undergoing bending deformation under the collision load, and wherein the weak section is provided between an inner side connection portion, which is a connection portion of each of the coupling sections and that connects the left or right coupling section and the roof reinforcement portion, and an outer side connection portion, which is another connection portion of each of the coupling sections and that connects the left or right coupling section and a corresponding one of the left or right roof side rails, and the weak section is configured by a thinned portion formed thinner than the inner side connection portion and the outer side connection portion.