Impact energy absorbing structure in upper vehicle body portion, and impact energy absorbing component

An impact energy absorbing structure in an upper vehicle body portion, comprising:

• a vehicle body structural member extending in a lengthwise direction;
• an interior trim spaced from the structural member by an interval extending inwardly from the structural member;
• and
• an energy absorbing member disposed in the interval between the interior trim and the structural member and extending along the structural member in the lengthwise direction;
• wherein the energy absorbing member is a hybrid pipe comprising a core member formed from a metal foil, and sheets laminated on opposite surfaces of the core member, each of the sheets being formed from a material other than metal, the core member and the sheets being shaped so that the hybrid pipe has protruded portions and recessed portions that are contiguous in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the hybrid pipe;
• and
• wherein the hybrid pipe is formed so that a length of an outer periphery of a section of the hybrid pipe taken on an imaginary plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hybrid pipe is substantially consistent in the direction of the longitudinal axis, while a shape of the section of the hybrid pipe gradually changes in the direction of the longitudinal axis.

An impact energy absorbing component, comprising:

• a hybrid pipe comprising:
• a core member formed from a metal foil;
• and
• sheets laminated on opposite surfaces of the core member, each of the sheets being formed from a material other than metal, the core member and the sheets being shaped so that the hybrid pipe has protruded portions and recessed portions that are contiguous in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the hybrid pipe;
• wherein the hybrid pipe is formed so that a length of an outer periphery of a section of the hybrid pipe taken on an imaginary plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hybrid pipe is substantially consistent in the diction of the longitudinal axis, while a shape of the section of the hybrid pipe gradually changes in the direction of the longitudinal axis.

An impact energy absorbing structure, comprising:

• a center pillar supporting, at an intermediate portion thereof in a front-rear direction with respect to a vehicle body, a rail that supports a shoulder belt adjuster support so as to be movable in an up-down direction;
• a pillar garnish spaced from the center pillar by an interval extending inward from the center pillar;
• and
• an energy absorbing member disposed in the interval and extending along the center pillar in the up-down direction;
• wherein the energy absorbing member is a hybrid pipe having a core member formed from a metal foil, and sheets laminated on opposite surfaces of the core member, each of the sheets being formed from a material other than metal, the core member and the sheets being shaped so that the hybrid pipe has protruded portions and recessed portions that are contiguous in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the hybrid pipe;
• and
• wherein the hybrid pipe has a pair of hollow energy absorbing portions that are connected to each other by a connecting portion and that are respectively disposed forward and rearward of the rail.

An impact energy absorbing component, comprising:

• a hybrid pipe comprising:
• a core member formed from a metal foil;
• and
• sheets laminated on opposite surfaces of the core member, each of the sheets being formed from a material other than metal, the core member and the sheets being shaped so that the hybrid pipe has protruded portions and recessed portions that are contiguous in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the hybrid pipe;
• wherein the hybrid pipe has a pair of hollow energy absorbing portions and a connecting portion disposed between the pair of hollow energy absorbing portions, connecting the pair of hollowed energy absorbing portions,
• wherein the hybrid pipe is attachable to a vehicle body structural member at the connecting portion.